


I Walk Into The Fire

by mandeebobandee



Series: Hogwarts Havoc [9]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-20
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-05-15 10:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 40,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19293814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandeebobandee/pseuds/mandeebobandee
Summary: The conflict in the wizarding world is looming close to a boiling point. Soon choices will have to be made, choices with wide ranging consequences.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for descriptions of pretty heavy duty injuries.

What could one even make of a comment like that?  _"If it wasn't for your brother we'd both be..."_  
  
Virgil could fill in the blank. He understood that Patton and August be  _dead_  without Lionel.  _He saved their lives..._  but what happened to get them to this point?  
  
He knew that  _something_  resulted in his brother and Patton's brother fighting for their lives, but he still didn't know the full story.  
  
Patton dabbed at his eyes once more with the tissue.  _"He...we wouldn't be here without him."_  He took a deep breath and began to explain to Virgil what happened.  
  
\----------------  
  
_"August! Seth! Roman!"_  Patton shouted, trying to find his brothers and fiance. His hands were clenched into fists as tears threatened to fall, but he couldn't give in. He had to keep searching. His loved ones  _needed_  him.  
  
It was so  _hot_  and so  _bright_. The majority of the buildings on the street were on fire. He suspected that the Fiendfyre only abandoned this street because there was hardly anything left unscathed of it.  
  
_"August! Seth! Roman!"_  Patton called out again. This time, he was certain that he heard something. His name,  _barely_...  
  
Then again. It was coming from someone laying near a curb. He approached them at once. It was not until the figure spoke once more that Patton was able to discern who it was.  
  
_"P-Pat..."_  the boy, the  _fourteen_  year old said.   
  
_"Aug...August?"_  Patton stammered. Even in this condition, he was one of the few who could tell the difference between August and Seth, who were so alike in so many ways, but still had their differences because they were their own people.  
  
_"It-it hurts so bad,"_  August pleaded. Patton nearly burst into sobs there. But he couldn't do that, he had to help his brother!  
  
_"We've...we've gotta get you aid,"_  Patton told him. With shaking hands he dug into his bag, retrieving a small container of dittany that he carried with him everywhere.  
  
Dittany only worked well on mild to moderate injuries though - and the liquid did little to soothe or help August.  
  
_"It's coming back!"_  a new voice called out. This one was more robust. This was someone who, like Patton, managed to escape injury.  
  
_"It's coming back?"_  Patton's eyes widened in horror.  _"The fire?"_ He scooped August into his arms as gingerly as he could.  
  
_"Yes, it must have sensed your movement,"_  Deceit told him.  _"Come on, let's go this way."_  
  
Patton and Deceit ran, though Patton struggled with his brother in his arms. The fire creature that came down their street seemed to be gaining on them. Deceit attempted to cast several spells to divert the fiery beast's attention, but he had minimal success.  
  
There was little that Patton could do. He had his hands full, both figuratively and literally. Deceit, on the other hand...  
  
Deceit stopped, allowing Patton to run past him, then changed direction.  
  
Patton looked back in horror as the creature took off after Deceit. It wasn't long before the creature met it's target.

It all happened so fast that Patton did not have time to react. The flames overtook Deceit, who appeared to have cast a shield charm around himself that had little effect. Deceit collapsed onto the road, shaking uncontrollably   
  
Patton ran over at once. Deceit looked just as bad as August did, and Patton had to choke back another sob.   
  
...but he wouldn't be able to help August and Deceit if he just stood here crying. And he wasn't about to let them die if he could help it. Tightening his grip on August, Patton knelt down so that he could grasp Deceit's hand within one of his own.  
  
He felt a squeeze in return, which restored his faith that not all hope was lost.  
  
He'd never done Side-Along Apparition before, much less with  _two_  other people, but it was the only option that he had.   
  
Patton closed his eyes, thinking of St. Mungo's, focusing on just how  _badly_  he needed to get there.  
  
Tightening his grip on both of his passengers, he allowed the familiar sensation of Apparating to overtake him.  
  
The next thing he knew, he was in the lobby of St. Mungo's...and so were Deceit and August. There were already Healers running toward them, immediately drawn in by the pop of Patton's Apparition as well as the ghastly sight of both Deceit and August...  
  
\-----------------  
  
Patton's story dropped off there, as a few more tears trickled down his cheeks.

 _You got them here. That's the important part,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
_"But what if they don't make it? What if it was all for nothing?"_ Patton asked, almost pleadingly.  
  
Virgil had to force himself to choke back his own sob at that point. Virgil already cried, and he could cry again later, but Patton needed him right now.  
  
_"They're in a place where they might recover because of you. Deceit saved your life, but you might have also saved his in return. Thank you,_  Virgil wrote to Patton.

Patton sniffled a couple of times before pulling Virgil into a hug.   
  
Virgil was mildly surprised by this gesture, not having expected it so suddenly, but he quickly returned it, wrapping his own arms around Patton and pulling him closer.  
  
A moment or so passed before the two pulled apart, Patton giving Virgil a sad smile.  _"I should...I need to be with my family."_    
  
Virgil nodded.  _Me too,_  he admitted.  _Keep me updated on August though, if you can?_  
  
Patton returned the nod.  _"Keep me updated on your brother. And if he wakes up...tell him thank you, and that I'm so sorry."_  
  
Virgil frowned when Patton added the apology, but Patton had already turned to head down the hallway. Virgil tried clearing his throat once, then repeating the action louder, but there was still no response. Patton either hadn't heard him, or he was pretending to have not heard him.  
  
Virgil let out a sigh. He only hoped that Patton was not blaming himself for what happened to Dee. Virgil's words to Patton were by no means empty platitudes. He genuinely meant what he told Patton - Patton  _did_  save Dee's life by bringing him here.


	2. Chapter 2

Virgil jerked awake, his hand immediately flying to his neck as he rubbed it.  
  
 _"Welcome back to the land of the living,"_  Renilda told him, managing a slight smile.  
  
Virgil pressed down at a few spots on his neck, trying to work out the knots. He'd fallen asleep in his chair, and had apparently taken to using the  _wall_  as a pillow. His neck was now throbbing in protest.  
  
The fact that Renilda was smiling was a good sign. Virgil's gaze fell onto Dee, who still lay unconscious in the bed. He let out a sigh, cursing himself for getting his hopes up that Dee might actually be awake.  
  
Of course he wouldn't be, not with the sort of injuries he had. And this was probably for the best, honestly - If he  _was_  awake, he'd probably be in intense pain.  
  
 _"The Healers just made their rounds. They said he was improving,"_  Renilda confided.  
  
Virgil let out a derisive snort. Dee didn't look any different than he had the day before.  
  
 _"He is, I noticed that as well. Some of his wounds are responding to the Potions they're using, and his fever is going down,"_  Renilda continued.  
  
That all  _sounded_  good, but...  
  
 _"I know, it's hard to get any sort of relief when you don't see much of a difference,"_  Renilda sighed. She glanced down at her eldest son, a small smile making it's way onto her visage once more.  
  
 _"I did notice one other improvement that you'll probably appreciate a little bit more. Come to the side of his bed and squeeze his hand,"_  Renilda told him.  
  
Virgil did as his mother instructed. After several seconds, Dee returned the squeeze.  
  
Virgil's eyes widened, gazing at his mother in wonder.  
  
 _"They still have him under a Sleeping Draught. They're probably going to have him under one for a while,"_  Renilda explained.  
  
Virgil nodded. He knew about this already.   
  
 _"Its for the best...these burns would cause him a lot of pain otherwise,"_  Renilda reached for Dee's other hand and gave it a squeeze. Dee returned the gesture for her as well.  
  
Virgil wondered if Dee was aware on any level what was happening. Dee was under the effects of the Sleeping Draught, yes, but so was Virgil when he wound up in the Hospital Wing two years earlier. And Virgil  _did_  recall a few things that happened then.  
  
They'd come a long way since that point. Dee was the one who put him in St. Mungo's back then. Back then, Virgil could not have even fathomed keeping vigil at his brother's bedside. But Dee...Dee showed that he was willing to change.  
  
It did not escape Virgil that the very act that put Dee in St. Mungo's in the first place was proof positive that Dee was turning over a new leaf.  
  
He  _saved two Muggleborns_ , risking his life to do so. The Dee that Virgil knew two years ago would never have done such a thing. But apparently he'd come to care for Patton and August well enough to put himself in danger for them - or he at the very least recognized the error of his ways to the point where he realized that their blood status did not make them any less worthy of such actions.  
  
 _"Oh, you're awake now,"_  Logan's voice came from the door.  _"I suppose you won't be needing this,"_  the Ravenclaw noted, setting a pillow off to the side.  
  
 _How long was I out for?_  Virgil jotted out.  
  
Logan turned to Renilda.  _"Six hours,"_  she stated, before yawning herself.  
  
 _"You should sleep as well, Ms. Nyx,"_  Logan noted.  
  
 _"I'll be fine,"_  Renilda waved her hand.  
  
 _"No, dear. You need to rest,"_  Professor Picani's voice joined in.  
  
Virgil, Renilda, and Logan glanced up toward the door.

 _"I have rested,"_  Renilda responded in a resolute tone.  
  
 _"That's not what the Healers who came in to check on Lionel said. They said you were standing watch all night. And I know you were up for at least part of it because I was here with you,"_ Professor Picani told her.  
  
Renilda sighed and rose to her feet.  _"I suppose I'm busted?"_ She glanced at Dee in the bed, chewing on her lip, before turning her attention back to Virgil and Logan.  _"You'll come get us if there are any changes in his condition?"_  
  
Virgil and Logan nodded concurrently.  
  
Renilda took a deep breath and one last look at Dee before turning to Professor Picani and nodding. Virgil could not help but notice his mother stealing one last glance back at the room as she and Professor Picani made their way down the hall.  
  
 _"Have you heard about August yet?"_  Logan inquired.  
  
Virgil's stomach gave a jolt. He fell asleep, which meant that the night passed. He glanced at his watch, seeing that it was 9 in the morning.  
  
 _How is he?_  Virgil wrote.  
  
 _"He is alive,"_  Logan informed him.  
  
Virgil let out a sigh of relief. Both Dee and August were recovering.  
  
 _"Dee's recovering too,"_  Virgil jotted out in reply.  
  
 _"Dee? Too?"_  Logan frowned.  
  
Virgil indicated his brother's form in the bed.  
  
 _"Ah, Dee is short for Deceit,"_  Logan realized.  
  
 _What I used to call him when we hung out years ago,_  Virgil explained. Now that he and Dee were repairing their relationship...it felt like a fitting thing to do.  
  
Logan nodded.  _"Well that is pleasant news. At least one of the two is showing signs of improvement, though given August's younger age, the fact that he endured his injuries for a longer period of time with little medical help, and the depth of his injuries, it stands to reason that it would take him longer to recover."_  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched again as he realized that he misunderstood what Logan initially told him. He assumed that August made similar progress to Dee, and that wasn't the case at all.  
  
August hadn't  _improved_ , he'd just made it through the night. And though that was a feat in itself, it showed just how far they still had to go.


	3. Chapter 3

When Renilda and Professor Picani returned after their nap, they motioned for Virgil and Logan to go for a walk.  
  
_"We'll let you know if anything happens, we promise,"_  Professor Picani informed them.  
  
Virgil would have protested that he and Logan should stay, but the room was crowded enough with two people in there, plus Healers that kept coming in to check on Dee. Renilda and Professor Picani were out of the room for a number of hours, so it only made sense to trade off with them and allow them some time alone with Dee.  
  
Virgil and Logan made their way to the tea shop. Chelsea, Era, and Astrit were talking amongst themselves at a table near the back of the shop, and Virgil and Logan headed over to join them.  
  
_"How can they claim something like this? It's infuriating!"_  Chelsea nearly shouted.  
  
Virgil wondered what had Chelsea so angry. He had a feeling that he wouldn't like the answer, especially when Chelsea took the paper she was reading and crumpled it up, then tossed it at the table as hard as she could.  
  
_"Who is claiming what, exactly?"_  Logan asked as he slipped into one of the empty chairs at the table. Virgil took the seat next to him.  
  
_"The Daily Prophet!"_  Chelsea snarled. She glared daggers at the crumpled up ball of paper that now lay at the edge of the table.  
  
_What are they saying?_  Virgil wrote.

 _"They say the Fiendfyre attack was the direct result of a skirmish in Hogsmeade between two protest groups,"_  Era replied. Her arms were folded across her chest and she too glared at the crumpled up newspaper.  
  
_Were there protests?_  Virgil wondered.  
  
_"There have been all year,"_  Chelsea noted.  
  
_"For or against the banning of Hogwarts students and Muggleborns?"_  Astrit questioned.  
  
_"A mixture of both,"_  Era told Virgil and Astrit, who would have no way of knowing - neither of them stepped foot in Hogsmeade the entire year.  
  
Now Virgil almost felt  _guilty_  that, but he tried to reason that it probably wouldn't have gone much differently if he were there. For all he knew, it could have gone  _worse_  had he been there.  
  
Either way, he found himself pondering on the what-ifs, per usual.  
  
_"Are they trying to say the ones for the ban or the ones against the ban did it?"_  Astrit arched his eyebrow.  
  
_"For, of course,"_  Era remarked.  
  
_"...then why are you so displeased? That is the conclusion we reached as well,"_  Logan furrowed his brow in confusion.   
  
_"Because they're acting like it was justified!"_  Chelsea growled.  
  
_"...how in the name of Merlin do they present that claim?"_  Logan gaped.  
  
_"By claiming that their lives felt threatened,"_  Era admittedly bitterly.  _"I have seen the arguments outside the village hall get heated on occasion."_  
  
_"On what planet does that justify the use of Fiendfyre?!"_  Chelsea shouted, slamming her hand down on the table. People were staring now.  
  
_"Calm down, dashnia ime. I admire your passion but we need to focus that passion toward action,"_  Era took her girlfriend's hand and gave it a squeeze.  
  
Virgil did not know what 'dashnia me' meant, but he assumed it was Albanian, and that it was a phrase of endearment.  
  
_"To answer your question, though...it doesn't require the use of Fiendfyre,"_  Astrit noted once Era succeeded in calming Chelsea a bit.  
  
_Then how are they playing that angle?_  Virgil wondered.  
  
_"By claiming it was one guy who took things too far,"_  Era sighed, caressing Chelsea's hand with her thumb.  
  
_"...did Roman tell the Ministry about his conversation with Delilah?"_  Logan inquired.  
  
_"Of course he did. Jury's out on whether or not the Ministry will actually do anything with this information,"_  Chelsea scoffed.

Virgil's hands were clenched into fists. Dee and August were fighting for their lives, and the Daily Prophet  _and_  Ministry seemed to be dragging their heels when it came to actually doing something about those responsible.  
  
...just like Hogwarts earlier in the year with the bullying.  
  
_"Virgil? How is your brother?"_  Astrit's voice broke through Virgil's thoughts.  
  
_His condition is improving,_  Virgil jotted out in reply.  
  
_"Well that doesn't say much,"_  Chelsea replied.  
  
_"Chelsea!"_  Era scolded.  
  
_"What? It's true!"_  Chelsea protested.  
  
_It is,_  Virgil admitted.  _But my mum says it's hard to tell what his prognosis will be at this point because it's so early._  
  
_"Do they think he'll survive?"_  Era frowned.  
  
_"He's getting better isn't he?"_  Chelsea responded.  _"So it sure sounds that way."_  
  
_"Not necessarily,"_  Astrit cautioned.  _"They would have outright said something if they knew for sure."_  
  
_"Astrit, I'm not sure if that's what Virgil needs to hear at the moment,"_  Era frowned.  
  
_Its not wrong though,_  Virgil admitted.   
  
Era sighed.  _"I know. I just...hate this. Blood purist assholes,"_  she hissed.

 _"Is that Roman?"_  Astrit glanced across the tea shop, where Roman made his way over to where they sat. He had a somber expression on his face.  
  
_"Where is Patton?"_  Logan wondered.  
  
Virgil wondered the same thing. He supposed Patton probably did not want to leave August's bedside again, but he thought that Patton could use the occasional break, just like his mother (and himself, though he was less likely to admit to that).  
  
The closer Roman got to their table, the easier it was to make out his face. He looked as though he were about to cry.  
  
Had something happened to August? Virgil rose from his seat at once, gesturing for Roman to take a seat.  
  
Roman plopped down and let out a shaky sigh.  
  
_"What is it? Is it August?"_  Era eyed him.  
  
Roman nodded.  
  
Virgil's breath caught in his throat.  
  
_"He's not...is he?"_  Astrit eyed Roman worriedly.  
  
_"He's still alive, if that is what you are asking,"_  Roman admitted.  
  
... _still_  alive? Did that mean that he might not be at some point? Was he dying? Virgil leaned against the wall in an attempt not to fall over as his legs began to grow weak.  
  
_"Is he going to die?"_  Chelsea asked.  
  
Roman blinked rapidly, clearly trying to hold back tears.  _"No. Maybe. I don't know. But they're saying that if he does survive...they can't reverse all of the damage, no matter what magic they use. He's going to be permanently affected by this."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dashnia ime does, in fact, mean 'my love' in Albanian. Thanks to both google and Koko


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for character death in this chapter. I'm not going to put it into the warning for the fic overall though because...well, you'll see why

The village of Hogsmeade was on fire.  
  
Virgil searched desperately for any signs of life, but everywhere he looked, there was destruction and death.  
  
Virgil had to swallow past the lump in his throat.  
  
He wanted to call out to his friends but he  _couldn't_. It would sound like gibberish.   
  
But now wasn't the time to feel sorry for himself, and he felt guilty for even allowing himself to be distracted by such thoughts. Who cared if it sounded like gibberish? His friends might be in danger!  
  
Virgil glanced down, back away in horror at what he saw there.   
  
His brother lying on the ground. His brother, covered in burns. His brother,  _dead_.  
  
Virgil ran, nearly tripping over his own feet. What was he doing? How could be abandon his brother like this?  
  
 _"He's dead. It's not like there's anything you can do about it,"_  a voice called out to him. It was familiar, but there was something almost otherworldly about it.  
  
He stopped. He was going to turn back and get Dee.  
  
 _"You're too late,"_  someone said. The voice stopped him in his tracks.  
  
Too late? No, he wasn't too late, he  _couldn't_  be too late. He ran back to Dee, immediately getting down on his knees and trying to shake Dee awake.  
  
 _"That's not going to work,"_  the same person from before told him. He could see their shadow looming over him, and immediately looked up to see who continued to harass him.  
  
He immediately wished that he hadn't.  
  
It was a doppleganger of himself. Virgil narrowed his eyes and retrieved his wand, pointing it at the doppleganger.  
  
 _"How quickly we forget. Weren't you checking on your brother? Or is he so unimportant to you that you'd prefer to ignore him and focus on me instead?"_  his doppleganger smiled back. It was not a happy smile, though. There was a sick quality to it, and he was practically leering at Virgil.  
  
Virgil was torn. His doppleganger was most certainly a threat, but his brother...  
  
Virgil bent over Dee, trying to shake him awake once more.  
  
He glanced up when he heard his doppleganger scoff.  _"Really? Feel his pulse, dumbass."_  
  
Virgil ground his teeth together but did as his doppleganger instructed, placing his index and middle finger at Dee and feeling for a pulse.  
  
Nothing.  
  
 _"What about his neck?"_  
  
Of course, if his pulse was weak it would be hard to feel in his wrist, but in his neck...  
  
 _"Nothing,"_  the doppleganger noted.  _"You're too late."_  
  
Virgil felt nauseous. Now he understood what his doppleganger meant by too late...and he wished that he did not.

He was too late.  
  
 _"You should have been here with him,"_  the doppleganger professed.  _"Had you been here, he might still be here."_  
  
Virgil chewed on his lip, trying not to break out into full out sobs...but did he deserve to deny himself that? If this was his fault, didn't he deserve to suffer for it?  
  
 _"This is your fault, Virgil,"_  the doppleganger whispered in his ear. Virgil winced.  
  
 _"You abandoned me, Virgil,"_  Dee's voice said into the other ear, and Virgil curled in on himself.  
  
 _"Virgil..."_  Another voice joined the fray, but he didn't want to hear anymore. He might deserve it, but he couldn't  _bear_  it. He drew his hands up to his ears, screwing up his eyes as tightly as he could.  
  
 _"VIRGIL!"_  Logan's shouted. Virgil could feel someone tugging at his hands, trying to pull them down.  
  
He supposed he should stop fighting...he deserve it, after all, it was all his fault...  
  
 _"Virgil, darling, open your eyes,"_  Logan told him softly.  
  
It was the softness in his tone that led Virgil to open his eyes, more in surprise than anything else. His doppleganger and Dee spoke in harsh, criticizing voices. Logan's voice was so far removed from this that Virgil could not help but feel curious as to what brought about the sudden change.  
  
He was no longer in Hogsmeade but rather in the same consultation room that he wound up in upon first arriving at St. Mungo's (or if not the  _same_  consultation room, a similar one).  
  
 _"You experienced a nightmare,"_  Logan told him in a steady voice.  
  
A...nightmare?  
  
None of that was real?  
  
It certainly  _felt_  real. He could still practically  _feel_  the heat from the flames in the village surrounding him.   
  
 _"What was the dream about, if you do not mind me asking?"_  Logan asked him.  
  
Virgil didn't mind Logan asking, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to answer. He chewed on his bottom lip.  
  
 _"I respect your decision if you do not wish to divulge said information at this time. That said, I think it might benefit you to discuss what you dreamt about and work through it?"_  Logan suggested.  
  
Virgil let out a snort at that. Leave it to Logan to respect his wishes to remain silent, yet present such a well-reasoned argument for sharing the content of his dream that he actually sort of  _wanted_  to now?  
  
 _Dee,_  was all Virgil wrote on his pad after he fetched it from the table.  
  
 _"You dreamt about Dee?"_  Logan deciphered, and Virgil nodded.  
  
 _"I am not surprised. What you have witnessed in regards to your brother is nothing short of horrifying,"_  Logan noted.  
  
While that was true, it was only part of the horror he faced in the dream...and the feelings it brought to the surface.  
  
Self-blame was hardly anything  _new_  for Virgil. It was a common pattern that Virgil fell into time and time again, but in this instance it was  _particularly_  distressing, because what happened to Dee was so viscerally distressing to him, and it was hard  _not_  to think about the what-ifs. What if things had gone better if Virgil was there?   
  
Dee might be  _totally_  fine were Virgil in Hogsmeade with them. Virgil could have gone after Patton when Patton ran off. Virgil might have diverted the fire beast from Patton and August instead of Dee. Or perhaps Virgil could have stopped Patton from running off before it ever got to that point.  
  
Though if Patton hadn't run off, would August have been found in time to even give him a fighting chance?

 _I'm going to go for a walk,_  Virgil wrote, then slowly rose to his feet.  
  
 _"I'll gather up my possessions and then we can be on our way,"_  Logan told him.  
  
Virgil shook his head.  _By myself._  
  
Logan frowned, and Virgil felt the need to explain.  
  
 _Just need to clear my head a bit._  He leaned in and gave Logan a peck on the lips and squeezed his hand. Logan nodded, and Virgil made his way out the door and into the corridor.


	5. Chapter 5

Virgil wasn't sure if the walk made him feel better or worse. On the one hand, he was alone with his thoughts, which provided him ample time to pore over them with minimal interruption.  
  
On the other hand,  _he was alone with his thoughts, which provided him ample time to pore over them with minimal interruption._  
  
It all kept coming back to what may have gone differently had Virgil traveled to Hogsmeade with his friends - or if  _anything_ would have changed.  
  
Occasionally Virgil would pass someone else in the corridors, but he tried to keep to low traffic areas. That said, he also tried to stay in areas he knew were open to the public. He might be able to convince them to give him a little leeway on account of his mother being a Healer, but he didn't want to play that card unless he had to - not that he thought it would do all that much in the first place.  
  
One hall was completely deserted. So as not to disturb anyone (nor be disturbed himself), he decided he'd walk back and forth down this hall for a while. Maybe it would help, maybe it wouldn't, but he had to do  _something_.  
  
He was halfway down the hall when he spotted someone seated on a bench. He'd missed their presence on account of the two large plants on each side of the bench that obscured his view of the full bench.  
  
 _"Virgil?"_  the person said.  
  
Virgil could not help but let out a snort. What were the chances? Not only did he come across someone, but it was someone he  _knew_.  
  
That said, he was surprised to find the seventeen year old alone. He was usually with his sister and his sister's girlfriend.  
  
Virgil figured he'd play this off. He couldn't very well pretend that he hadn't noticed Astrit at this point.  
  
Virgil waved to Astrit and nodded his head in acknowledgment. He then gestures to either side of Astrit, wondering if Astrit would understand what he was trying to say.  
  
He did.  _"Era and Chelsea are working on a strongly worded letter to the Daily Prophet. Words out on whether it'll be a written leader or a howler. Personally I think a howler would have more effect, and it's what they deserve."_  
  
That sounded about right. Though he did wonder why Astrit wasn't with them. He figured Astrit would have plenty to add on the subject. They  _all_  did.  
  
 _"I just figured I ought to take some time to myself,"_  Astrit admitted.  
  
How relatable. Virgil toyed with the idea of drawing out his pad and paper, wondering if Astrit even intended on carrying on a conversation long enough for him to need it, but ultimately decided on taking them out.

 _"Planning on sticking around?"_  Astrit asked, eyeing the pad and pen in Virgil's hand.  
  
Virgil shrugged. He wouldn't mind Astrit's company, but if Astrit truly wanted this time to  _himself_ , Virgil would respect that. It was the same reason he'd gone for a walk in the first place, after all.  
  
 _"I don't mind you staying if you wanna stay, and I don't mind you leaving if you wanna leave,"_  Astrit told him.  
  
Huh. Looked like Virgil would be staying then.  
  
 _"How is Deceit doing?"_  Astrit questioned as Virgil sat down on the bench next to him.  
  
 _Still the same as the last time we talked,_  Virgil admitted.   
  
Astrit nodded.  _"I've heard it'll take a while for him to recover. Both of them."_  
  
Virgil knew that Astrit was referring to both Dee  _and_  August with this, and nodded back. His mind flashed back to that nightmare and he let out a sigh.  
  
 _"I can't stop thinking about what I would have done had that been Era,"_  Astrit confessed, and Virgil looked over to him in surprise.  
  
 _"I...nah, it's stupid,"_  Astrit muttered, cutting himself off before he could say any more.  
  
 _What? I doubt it's stupid,_  Virgil jotted out.  
  
Astrit took a deep breath.  _"I keep having nightmares about Era getting hurt. It's stupid because she's fine, and there are two people who aren't, and I shouldn't be dwelling on someone who is."_  
  
Virgil cleared his throat.  _I just had a nightmare about my brother,_  he wrote.  
  
 _"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything,"_  Astrit's eyes were cast downward.  
  
 _No need to apologize,_  Virgil assured him. He didn't know what possessed him to do this, but he found himself writing more down.  _I dreamed that I found him there, but got there too late to help._  It felt strange, telling this to Astrit when he hadn't even told his boyfriend, but somehow it felt  _right_.  
  
Astrit let out a shaky sigh.  _"I wish I had been there."_  
  
And with those words, Virgil realized why it felt right to share this with Astrit. Astrit was in a similar situation - he, too, avoided Hogsmeade, and now felt guilty for the fact that staying behind spared them from directly experiencing the horrors in Hogsmeade when their friends and family weren't so lucky.  
  
 _Me too,_  Virgil wrote, showing this to Astrit.  
  
 _"If I hadn't been such a coward, if I'd only faced my fears..."_  Astrit spat, suddenly furious. Virgil could tell that Astrit's anger was directed inward, however, and not at any external source.  
  
"Hey," Virgil said out loud. It didn't matter that Astrit wouldn't be able to tell what he said, so long as he got Astrit's attention. Then he jotted out what he wanted to say.  _Something very bad happened to you in Hogsmeade. Who can blame you for wanting to avoid the memories that going there would bring back? You're not the one to blame for this. Whether you were there or not, this still would have happened._  
  
Astrit read this and shrugged.  _"It just...if I'd been there, could I have helped some of the people who were hurt?"_  
  
 _Maybe, but maybe you would have wound up hurt yourself. Maybe your sister would be sitting here crying over you instead,_ Virgil pointed out.   
  
Astrit shrugged again. Virgil could tell that his words didn't completely bring Astrit out of his funk, but they at least gave him something to think about.  
  
The words gave Virgil himself something to think about as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Virgil and his family kept vigil at the hospital, as did Patton and his family. Logan remained with Virgil, and Roman remained with Patton. Both of them outright refused to leave so long as their partner stayed at St. Mungo's.  
  
Era, Chelsea, and Astrit got a room at Leaky Cauldron, just like old times.  
  
That said, they weren't skipping school this time around. Hogwarts notified them that classes would be cancelled for at least the next week or two.  
  
They weren't the only ones affected this time around. Other students and their families were visitors and patients. There was a professor injured as he attempted to rescue other students; he was on another ward.  
  
All of Hogwarts was reeling from this, whether directly impacted by the attack or not.  
  
Virgil was surprised to find Professor Avenir in the corridor just outside of a room one day. She seemed to be steeling herself for something, and Virgil didn't want to interrupt her.  
  
She looked up and saw him anyway.  
  
_"Hello Virgil,"_  she told him. He could tell that she was forcing her smile.  
  
He gestured to the door behind her. He pulled out his pad and wrote  _Professor Brown_?  
  
Professor Avenir shook her head.  _"No, though I should go see him while I'm here. No, this is my uncle."_  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. Professor Avenir's uncle was in St. Mungo's?  
  
_"He lives in Hogsmeade,"_  she explained.  _"Er, lived. There isn't much left of his house."_  she sighed.

Virgil's eyes went wide. He and his friends were so focused on the Hogwarts side of this - which made sense, as they were all Hogwarts students - but that made it all too easy to forget that the people of Hogsmeade were affected by this atrocity as well. Not only were they themselves in danger, but so were their homes and their livelihoods. Even those that survived would possibly have to start all over again.  
  
_"His recovery is coming along nicely though. He's still in pain, as one would expect, but...they expect that he'll make a full recovery, aside from a little bit of scarring,"_  Professor Avenir sounded relieved at this, and Virgil couldn't blame her.  
  
_"I heard that Professor Picani's nephew was badly injured?"_ Professor Avenir asked. Virgil nodded, though he could not help but wonder if Professor Avenir knew just how important 'Professor Picani's nephew' was to him.  
  
She knew him as Adam Aceti, after all.  
  
_"He's like a brother to you, isn't he?"_  Professor Avenir continued.  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched at that. More than just that, but Professor Avenir came so close to the truth that he honestly began to wonder if she  _did_  know...  
  
He had to find out. "Hmmm?" he hummed, hoping that Professor Avenir would understand that he was asking her to clarify.  
  
She did.  _"Professor Picani raised him, didn't she? And Professor Picani is seeing your mother. So I thought..."_  
  
Virgil let out a mental sigh of relief, nodding to her assessment of the situation. Professor Avenir meant that 'Adam' was figuratively like a brother. She didn't know that he actually  _was_ Virgil's disguised brother after all.

 _"I'm sorry. I hope he recovers soon,"_  Professor Avenir told him, and Virgil could tell that she truly meant it.  
  
It was funny - he and Professor Avenir never got along when he had her as a professor, as he had not liked her methods of teaching, but as a person she was actually quite likeable.   
  
He'd also come a long way as a  _person_  since he had her as a professor. He was far less prone to lash out at the world around him. He had a good support network. Things weren't perfect, of course - he still had anxiety and trauma to work through, and no amount of support was going to simply make that vanish into thin air - but his friends and family  _helped_ , and that did make a difference.  
  
_I'm sorry too. I hope your uncle gets better soon,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
_"Me too. Maybe I could introduce the two of you some time. I think you'd get along well. He's actually a relatively well known Seer..."_    
  
Virgil's eyes widened.  
  
_"Noelle?"_  a voice called out from the room behind them.  _"Is that you I hear?"_  
  
Professor Avenir snickered.  _"Sounds like he's awake. It was nice talking to you, Virgil."_  
  
_You too,_  Virgil hastily scribbled out. Professor Avenir smiled, then entered her uncle's room.

Virgil let out a sigh, slipping his pen and pad back into the pocket of his hoodie and heading back toward Dee's room. He was met by a wide-eyed Logan near the lift.   
  
_"There you are! I assumed you would be back by now!"_  Logan blurted out.  
  
Virgil went to retrieve his pad from his pocket again so that he could tell Logan what happened, but he'd only gotten so far as to grab his pen before Logan seized him by his other hand.  _"There is no time for that - you need to follow me right now."_  
  
Alarm bells went off in Virgil's head. Logan wasn't usually this excitable. The fact that he was...clearly something happened. And Virgil wanted to know what. Unfortunately, Logan seemed more concerned with getting Virgil to their destination than actually telling him where they were going.  
  
Something  _big_  happened, by the looks of it.  
  
Virgil tried to get a close look at Logan's face, to see if he could solve the mystery by looking at Logan's expression. If he could  _talk_  he would be shouting questions at Logan as Logan dragged him into the lift. Fortunately, they had to wait for the lift to carry them to the right floor - and Virgil took advantage of this opportunity to get a good look at Logan's face. Logan noticed this and launched into an explanation at once.  
  
_"Your mother wanted me to come get you as soon as possible,"_ Logan admitted.  _"I could not find you right away, so...I was in a bit of a hurry to get you to the lift. I did not want you to miss your window of opportunity, after all,"_  he said sheepishly.  _"I don't know how long he will be..."_  
  
He paused when he noticed Virgil blinking owlishly back at him.  
  
_"Oh, right, you probably want to know why I was looking for you in the first place. Your brother is coming around!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So..eheh...how about that new video?


	7. Chapter 7

Virgil and Logan approached the door to Dee's room. They were all of five feet from the door when Virgil stopped in his tracks, then backtracked a few steps.  
  
Logan noticed this immediately and turned back to Virgil.  _"Virgil? Are you alright?"_  
  
Virgil held his finger over his lips and made a firm 'shhh'ing noise.  
  
Logan blinked in surprise and confusion. Virgil couldn't blame him - He wasn't sure why he was behaving in this way  _himself_.   
  
 _"What is going on, Virgil?"_  Logan stepped closer, though he lowered his voice. Virgil was relieved to see that no one in the room was peeking out into the hall, which had to mean that no one heard them.  
  
But why was he worried about being overheard?   
  
His heart pounded, and he let out a shaky sigh.  _I'm afraid. I'm afraid to see him,_  Virgil realized.  
  
Why, though? It would make sense if he hadn't already seen Dee lying in this same bed a number of times before. He should be  _happy_  to see Dee. He should be  _excited_. And he certainly  _was_  happy to hear that Dee recovered to the point where he'd regained consciousness.  
  
Seeing him, though...that was different. It was hard enough seeing him in that state before, but he'd been unconscious. He wasn't aware of what happened to him, the condition that he was in. He (hopefully) didn't feel the pain. Now that he was awake...would things ever be the same. Would  _Dee_  ever be the same?  
  
 _"Are you afraid, Virgil?"_  Logan whispered.  
  
Virgil closed his eyes and nodded.  
  
 _"That's alright,"_  Logan assured him. He took Virgil's hand into his and gave it a squeeze.  _"We'll go in together, alright?"_  
  
Virgil nodded once more, inhaling deeply. He opened his eyes and exhaled as he and Logan approached the door to Dee's room.  
  
Then they were inside.  
  
Dee was talking to Professor Picani and Renilda, but glanced up at the sound of two new people in the room.  
  
 _"Ah, there he is - My dearest little brother,"_  Dee greeted. He sat up slightly in bed. Renilda hastily reached forward to assist, retrieving her hand when she noted that he was doing this task well enough on his own.  
  
Professor Picani put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze.   
  
 _"You're crying? You are so disappointed to see my recovery that it has driven you to tears, Virgil?"_  Dee noted.  
  
Not long before this, Dee might have  _meant_  what he was saying. Now, Virgil knew Dee well enough to recognize the slight lilt in Dee's voice that indicated that he was only jesting.  
  
That told Virgil that Dee was still the same old Dee, and  _damn_ if that did not make Virgil cry  _even harder_.

 _"Oh dear, that did not have the effect that I intended,"_  Dee muttered.  
  
At that, Virgil started to laugh through his tears. Dee smiled.  
  
 _"How can you joke at a time like this?"_  Logan arched an eyebrow upon witnessing this.  _"You aren't exactly in optimal condition."_  
  
 _"That is precisely why I am joking, Logan. If I wasn't laughing I would be crying, and you all look as though you've done more than enough crying,"_  Dee observed.   
  
He gestured to Virgil, whose view was momentarily obscured by the fact that he was wiping his eyes with his sleeve. A few remaining chuckles escaped his lips as he sniffed. Clearly Dee's attempt at levity genuinely aided him.  
  
Logan folded his arms across his chest in a defiant manner.  _"Fine. You win this round."_  But the slightest of smiles danced across his lips, and he looked impressed with Dee's handiwork.

 _"Oh, I didn't realize we were in a competition,"_  Dee bit back.  
  
 _"Competition? What sort of competetion?"_  Professor Picani asked eagerly.  
  
 _"It's not important,"_  Logan replied.  _"D-Lionel, how are you feeling?"_  
  
 _"Absolutely amazing. Never been better,"_  Dee lied.  
  
This time  _everyone_  shot him a skeptical expression.   
  
Dee let out a snort.  _"Yeah, didn't think that one would work."_  
  
It was at this point that Dee's smile finally broke, and he let out a shaky sigh.  _"I honestly didn't expect to be here."_  
  
 _"You...you almost weren't,"_  Renilda told him, eyes sparkling with tears. She quickly reached for a tissue to dab them.  
  
 _"I assume someone happened upon me?"_  Dee asked, looking around for confirmation.  _"How did you know I was here?"_  
  
 _Patton,_  Virgil wrote, showing it to Dee.  
  
Dee's eyes widened slightly.  _"Patton?"_  
  
Virgil nodded.  
  
 _"But...why didn't he go with his brother? I don't...did he and his brother make it here safely?"_  Dee wondered.  
  
 _"In a matter of speak-ow,"_  Logan started to say, before being elbowed in the ribs by Virgil, who nodded.  
  
 _"I take that to mean that they are here, though not necessarily safe,"_  Dee deduced.  
  
 _"Well..."_  Professor Picani began, but Dee held up his hand.  
  
 _"August was already severely injured when Patton came across him in Hogsmeade. Did he make it?"_  Dee inquired. He looked Virgil directly in the eye as he said this.  
  
Virgil nodded. It wasn't a lie, August  _did_  make it - so far.   
  
Dee seemed to accept this answer.  _"And Patton?"_  
  
Virgil nodded once more. Logan cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to himself.

 _"Patton is actually the one who used Side-Along Apparition to bring you and August to St. Mungo's,"_  Logan informed Dee.  
  
Dee's eyes widened slightly at this. Virgil wondered why Dee was so surprised that Patton would do such a thing. Did he know Patton at all? Der remained silent for a moment or so, though he continued to look as though he had something to say, thus no one else dared to talk in the meantime.  
  
 _"Well I'll be damned, he risked his life for me of all people? Send him my regards if you would?"_  Dee requested, his gaze focused primary on Virgil and Logan as he said this.  
  
Oh. Dee wasn't thinking badly of Patton, he was thinking badly of  _himself_. Feeling guilty for rushing to a conclusion, Virgil nodded. Logan was quick to follow.  
  
 _"Thank you,"_  Dee responded, his eyelids slowly falling as sleep claimed him once more. It was impossible not to note the slight smile that came across his face as he did so, however.


	8. Chapter 8

Virgil met up with his friends in the tea shop. The area near St. Mungo's was fairly hectic, as many victims of the Fiendfyre attack were still hospitalized. Era notified them that her parents were staying in a Muggle hotel near the hospital, and that they strongly suspected that they were not the only ones with a connection to the wizarding world to check into a Muggle hotel in the area. There was only so much room at the hospital for the friends and family of patients, after all.

It was here that Virgil and Logan informed their friends of the latest developments in Dee's recovery.  
  
 _"Congrats, Virge,"_  Patton told him, though Virgil noticed that his voice wasn't as airy as usual. He sounded exhausted, both physically and emotionally.  
  
 _Thanks Pat,_  Virgil wrote, though his attention was soon captured by Roman, Era, Astrit, and Chelsea, who all had questions for Virgil and Logan regarding Dee's condition.  
  
 _"Is he in pain?"_  Roman wondered.  
  
 _"Does he know what happened?"_  Chelsea asked.  
  
 _"How was he holding up after everything he went through?"_  Era questioned.  
  
Virgil and Logan did their best to answer these questions. Virgil did what he could through writing, though Logan took over whenever a particularly long explanation was required. It was a lot easier to let Logan do the talking in those instances, as Virgil and Logan had mostly the same information regarding Dee's recovery. If Virgil had anything to add to what Logan said, he would write  _that_  down.   
  
It turned out to be a pretty good system overall. Roman, Era, Chelsea, and Astrit had a few more questions, and Virgil and Logan were able to answer them reasonably well.  
  
Patton wasn't saying  _anything_ , though, and that concerned Virgil. It was almost as if he wasn't even present.  
  
 _"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you! I received an owl from Paige and she plans on visiting soon!"_  Era announced.  
  
 _"Paige? Why it'll be just like old times!"_  Roman said in delight.  
  
 _"Last summer is hardly 'old times',"_  Astrit pointed out.  
  
 _"She picked a good time to visit,"_  Chelsea smiled.  _"Things are starting to look up-"_  
  
A loud noise echoed through the tea shop as a chair scraped the floor. A few at their table winced; Roman looked up in surprise.  
  
Virgil soon saw why. Patton was not only on his feet, but was already walking toward the exit.  
  
 _"What in the world?"_  Logan stared at the retreating Patton.  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched at once. He knew something was bothering Patton. He knew and he  _didn't do anything about it_ , allowing himself to be distracted by his other friends.  
  
He felt like an ass.  
  
 _"I'm going to go talk to him. I'll be back later,"_  Roman rose to his feet and headed after Patton. Virgil rose to his feet as well, starting after Roman, but Roman turned back to him.  
  
 _"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I think it would be best if I went after him on my own,"_  Roman told him.  
  
And though Virgil told him not to take his words the wrong way, Virgil still felt as if he'd been figuratively socked in the gut.  
  
Logically, he understood what Roman was saying. It would be easier if one person talked one on one with Patton. Being surrounded by people, no matter how well meaning, would put Patton even more on edge- Virgil knew that from experience.  
  
But  _dammit_ , he wanted to help his best friend.  
  
He wanted to say he was sorry for not doing anything sooner.  
  
\-------------  
  
 _"Patton? What's going on?"_  Roman called out to Patton as he approached the Hufflepuff at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
 _"Nothing. I'm absolutely fine,"_  Patton insisted, though Roman knew Patton far too well to buy that. He could hear the pain in Patton's voice, no matter how hard Patton tried to hide it.  
  
 _"No, you're not,"_  Roman replied, trying to keep his voice both even and kind.  
  
 _"Yes, I am,"_  Patton snapped, even ad his voice wavered. Roman would know that sound anywhere - Patton was either crying, or trying  _not_  to cry.  
  
 _"Patton, darling, it's alright, it's okay to be upset,"_  Roman told him.  
  
Patton let out a derisive snort at that. Roman went to put his arm around Patton's shoulder, to embrace him and tell him that he was there for Patton no matter what, but Patton jerked away.  _"Stop. I don't deserve that."_  
  
Roman blinked in surprise, letting his arm fall back to his side.  _"Don't deserve...whatever do you mean, my love? You deserve the world, the sun and the moon, the..."_  
  
 _"Stop, Roman,"_  Patton pleaded.  _"I don't deserve any of that! I can't even muster up the energy to be happy for my best friend!"_  
  
 _"...wait, that's what this is about?"_  Roman gaped.  
  
 _"I can't even bring myself to be happy for Virgil,"_  Patton's eyes were welling up with tears.  _"His brother is getting better and that's wonderful! He should be happy! I should be happy for him! But instead I spent that whole time wishing..."_  
  
 _"That we were talking about August instead?"_  Roman guessed in a gentle tone of voice.  
  
The dam broke. Patton began to cry. Roman immediately pulled Patton into his arms and began to caress his back.

 _"I just want him to get better. Why isn't he getting better?"_  Patton cried.  
  
 _"I...I don't know,"_  Roman admitted. He wished with all his might that he had the answers, that he could tell Patton the words that Patton  _needed_  to hear, but he couldn't. He couldn't promise Patton something that he could not guarantee.  
  
And he could not guarantee that August would be alright.

The one thing that he could guarantee? That he would be there for Patton no matter what happened.   
  
 _"It's okay to feel this way, Patton. Your feelings do not become invalid just because someone else received good news, and you don't have to pretend that they do. It's okay to feel what you're feeling,"_  Roman whispered gently as he continued to hold Patton in his arms. And he would remain like that as long as Patton needed him to.


	9. Chapter 9

Virgil didn't expect Patton and Roman to return right away, but when they did not return  _at all_ , he began to grow concerned. Part of him wanted to hunt down the two to make sure that they were alright, but another part - a stronger part at this point in time - told him to stay away.  
  
His presence would undoubtedly make things worse, he suspected.  
  
After an hour or so, the group parted ways. Astrit, Era, and Chelsea headed back to their hotel, and Virgil and Logan headed to Dee's room. Virgil half-hoped that they would run into Patton and Roman on the way there, but they had no such luck.  
  
 _"Shall we look for them?"_  Logan inquired.  
  
Virgil turned to Logan in surprise.  
  
 _"Roman and Patton,"_  Logan clarified.  _"I saw you glance up and down the hall and suspected you were searching for them."_  
  
Virgil immediately shook his head.  
  
 _"Are you shaking your head because you do not desire to search for them, or because you were not searching for them from the beginning?"_  Logan wondered. Realizing that this wasn't exactly a yes or no question that Virgil could answer with a nod or shake of his head, Logan was quick to provide another option.  _"Hold up one finger if it is the former, and teo fingers if it is the latter."_  
  
Virgil held up one finger.

Logan let out a sigh, looking Virgil up and down.  _"I am certain that Patton is doing as well as can be expected."_  
  
Virgil knew Logan was trying to help, but in this instance it did not. Neither Virgil nor Logan knew how Patton was doing.  
  
When Virgil didn't see Patton the next day, he wondered if Patton was avoiding him.  
  
He spotted Patton in the lobby the day after that and immediately froze. Should he turn before Patton saw him? If Patton was avoiding him, it would be better to get out of there before he saw the definitive truth.  
  
Patton didn't do as he expected. Patton spotted Virgil before he could run away, and he raised his hands and waved. Even more surprising, he started walking in Virgil's direction.  
  
 _"Hey Virge! Are you alright? I didn't upset you the other day, did I?"_  Patton asked.  
  
Virgil gaped. Of all of the things he was expecting Patton to say, he wasn't expecting  _that_.  _I'm fine._  
  
Patton frowned.  _"Good. I was just worried that I might have upset you because you seemed to be avoiding me."_  
  
If Virgil was surprised before, he was utterly  _floored_  by this statement. Recognizing how difficult it would be to continue a conversation like this without them, Virgil pulled his pen and pad from his pocket.  
  
 _I thought you were avoiding me,_  Virgil admitted.  
  
Patton's eyes widened. Several seconds passed before Patton began to snicker.  
  
...to  _snicker_. Virgil didn't know what to make of that, and he imagined that his expression likely showcased this, as Patton was quick to explain why he was snickering.  _"We were avoiding one another because we thought we were avoiding each other. Isn't that silly?"_  
  
Virgil let out a few chortles himself. Well, when Patton put it that way, it did sound rather ridiculous.  
  
That alleviated  _one_  concern of Virgil's, though there was certainly more to it than just that.  _Are you okay?_  
  
 _"I'm f-"_  Patton began, his smile faltering when he saw the raised eyebrow that Virgil cast his way. He let out a sigh, glancing downward.  _"I'm not fine. I'm scared and frustrated. I don't know how August is doing. I keep thinking he may wake up but then he doesn't and it was just...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have run away like that."_  
  
 _And I'm sorry I didn't say something sooner. I knew you were getting uncomfortable but I kept getting distracted by the questions about Dee, and that wasn't right,"_  Virgil wrote in reply.  
  
 _"You were happy that your brother was awake. There's no need to feel guilty for that!"_  Patton assured him.  
  
 _Just like there's no reason to feel guilty that you're worried and scared,_  Virgil scribbled onto the pad.

Patton shrugged.   
  
 _He said thanks,_  Virgil scribbled our suddenly.  
  
 _"Who says thanks?"_  Patton blinked in confusion.  
  
 _Dee, for saving him,_  Virgil wrote in response.  
  
 _"Oh. Well...tell him thank you too,"_  Patton told Virgil.  
  
 _Will do,_  Virgil jotted down, then flashed Patton a thumbs up.  
  
 _"I mean it...we couldn't have very well saved him if he hadn't saved us first. What he did was a lot more brave than what I did. I just Apparated. He laid his life on the line for us,"_  Patton's eyes were slightly watery.  
  
He turned to Virgil and gave him a warm smile, then without warning pulled the Slytherin into a hug. Virgil momentarily tensed at the unexpected contact, then quickly settled into it, embracing his best friend in return.  
  
 _"Why do I feel like you would be purring right now if you were a kitten?"_  Patton chuckled.   
  
Virgil shrugged, though he wore a small smile of his own on his face.  
  
It was at that point that a Healer approached the two.  
  
Virgil felt his heart practically leap into his throat. He cast a worried glance to Patton, who was staring at the Healer with an expression akin to a deer in headlights.  
  
 _"Excuse me, Patton?"_  the Healer asked.  
  
Patton reluctantly raised his hand.  _"You'll want to follow me. We have news concerning your brother."_

Patton's face went ashen, though he rose to his feet and followed the Healer nevertheless. Virgil walked beside him, slipping Patton's hand into his and giving it a squeeze of what he hoped was comfort. Patton shot a grateful look to his best friend, but couldn't bring himself to say anything out of fear that he might lose control if he did so.  
  
The Healer led Virgil and Patton to the hall August's room was in. Both Virgil and Patton had to steel themselves for what they might see, and Virgil squeezed Patton's hand to remind Patton that he was there for Patton.  
  
Patton took a deep breath and rounded the corner, still hand in hand with Virgil.  
  
They were greeted with the sight of Seth and Toby, overwhelmed with emotion, running up to Patton. Their eyes were wet. They were crying.   
  
But they were also smiling?


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for depiction of bodily harm in detail

Virgil watched as Seth and Toby crowded around their older brother, embracing him every bit as hard as one of Patton's own bone crushing hugs.  
  
Virgil supposed he knew where Patton got it from now.  
  
_"He's okay, Patton! August is okay!"_  Seth practically shouted.  
  
Patton's eyes were already welling up with tears, but in a pleasant turn of events, these tears were not tears of sadness, fear, frustration, or anger. They were tears of relief, of  _happiness_.  
  
_"Okay is a bit of a relative word,"_  Toby admitted in a quiet tone, looking guilty as Seth shot him a glare.  
  
_"Is now really the time for that?"_  Seth snapped.  _"August is going to live. That's the important part."_  
  
Toby shrunk back. It was clear that he hadn't meant anything  _bad_  with his comment...but it also shed light on the fact that August was perhaps not as well off as Virgil and Patton initially hoped.  
  
Virgil glared at the Healer. For someone who claimed to have news about August, he wasn't exactly  _sharing_  any of that news with Virgil or Patton. He was instead watching this play out. Why even bother sticking around if he wasn't going to say anything?  
  
_"He's going to live, but...he will be forever affected by what has happened to him,"_  the Healer informed them.  
  
_"You told us that already. You told us that he might look different when we saw him,"_  Toby snapped.  
  
_"Yes, I was simply explaining the same to your older brother and his friend,"_  the Healer replied.  
  
_"I'm sick of this. If you're not going to tell me what happened to my brother, I'm going to find out myself!"_  Toby announced.  
  
_"Toby, wait!"_  Patton called out, but Toby was already pushing his way into the room.   
  
Toby slowly backed out of the room. His eyes glistened with tears.  
  
_"Toby..."_  Patton whispered.   
  
_"He's...there really wasn't any other way?"_  Toby frowned.  
  
The Healer shook his head.  _"It was the only way we could save his life, given how much of the cursed fire-"_  
  
_"Bullshit!"_  Toby snarled.  
  
_"Toby!"_  Patton chided.  
  
_"You could have saved it. You just didn't try hard enough. You just didn't care enough. I hate you,"_  Toby hissed at the Healer.  
  
The Healer took this as his cue to leave, though he at least cast one more remorseful look in Patton's direction and mouthed 'I'm sorry' as Seth tried to soothe Toby.  
  
Virgil could not help but feel that he'd stumbled upon a personal family moment that he should not have stumbled upon. He wanted to leave. But then he felt Patton's hand in his and he recalled why he  _was_  here - To support Patton.  
  
_"I think I'm ready,"_  Patton whispered to Virgil.   
  
The two made their way into the room as Virgil went over Toby's outburst in his head. Could have saved 'it'? What was 'it'? He couldn't be talking about August himself...  
  
What 'it' was became evident as soon as Virgil and Patton stepped into the room.  
  
August was covered in burns similar to Dee, but there was one stark difference between the two - Dee still had both of his legs.

Patton gasped, his hand flying over his mouth to stifle a sob. There was a Healing Assistant in the room tending to August who glanced Patton's way when he heard this, a sympathetic look quickly crossing his features.  
  
_"Is he your brother too?"_  the Healing Assistant asked, looking at both Virgil and Patton. Virgil shook his head and stepped back a little, though pointed to Patton.  
  
He seemed to understand what Virgil was getting at, especially when Patton nodded to the same question Virgil shook his head to.  
  
At that point the Healing Assistant directed most of what he was saying to Patton. Virgil understood; this information was meant for Patton, as he was August's  _family_.  
  
_"Its an effect of the fire that the Healers have noticed on several people. We have healing potions and spells that can aid our patients, but those can only go so far, especially with curses,"_  the Healing Assistant admitted.  
  
_"But this was fire,"_  Patton pointed out.  
  
_"Cursed fire,"_  the Healing Assistant specified.  _"Its this nature that can make healing victims more difficult. In this case, the curse affected his leg to the point where..."_  
  
_"And there wasn't any other way?"_  Patton sniffed.  
  
The Healing Assistant shook his head.  _"They tried, believe me. The curse that affected his leg was in danger of spreading if they did not act promptly."_  
  
Virgil chewed on his lip, thinking of Dee, who had such similar injuries yet still had both of his legs...

He had to know - Could this same thing happen to his brother?  
  
_How can you tell if the curse may spread? Is it something that takes time to notice?_  Virgil wrote and handed to the Healing Assistant, who read it over and furrowed his brow in confusion.  
  
_"I'm not entirely sure what you mean. We recognized the signs in August and acted as quickly as we could,"_  the Healing Assistant reiterated.  
  
That wasn't what Virgil was asking at all! He sighed in frustration, preparing to write out a long explanation, but there was a chance he wouldn't understand  _that_  one either, and he just wanted answers!  
  
_"My friend's brother is a patient here as well,"_  Patton clarified.  _"He was burned too. I think Virgil is worried that this might happen to his brother too. Is that the case, Virgil?"_  
  
Patton looked to Virgil, who let out a sigh of relief and nodded, grateful. That was  _so much_  easier than what he planned to do, and Patton even checked with him to make certain that what he was saying was correct. Virgil shot Patton a slight smile, which Patton returned.

 _"Oh,"_  the Healing Assistant said with a look of recognition.  _"I won't say it's impossible-"_  
  
Virgil's eyes widened as his face lost some of its color.  
  
_"...but it's highly unlikely,"_  the Healing Assistant hastily added when he saw Virgil's face. " _Usually if a curse like this begins to spread, it is seen shortly after the injury is obtained, especially with Fiendfyre."_  
  
_"You've dealt with Fiendfyre injuries before?"_  Patton blinked in surprise.  
  
_"Not many,"_  the Healing Assistant admitted.  _"Not until the attack in Hogsmeade at least. But enough of them to know that if he hasn't already, your brother is highly unlikely to experience what August did."_  
  
Virgil nodded, some of the tension seeming to melt away from his shoulders all at once.  
  
_"You're sure you stopped the curse from affecting anything else?"_  Patton questioned.   
  
_"Positive,"_  the Healing Assistant noted.  _"Its why we kept him under for so long, to make certain that there was no further danger of the curse spreading."_  
  
_"...thank you,"_  Patton told the Healing Assistant. Virgil could tell that this was a bittersweet moment for Patton. August was alive, but this came at a cost. Virgil wished that there was something he could say or do to make the situation better, but the only thing he could do was be there for Patton.  
  
So that was what he would do for as long as Patton needed him.


	11. Chapter 11

My friend CJ (@artistictaurean on tumblr) did a commission of Chelsea that I thought I'd share with you guys! I think they did a fantastic job with it, and I hope that you guys'll enjoy it as well!

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for multiple mentions of minor character death

School was cancelled over the next few weeks to allow students to cope with what happened in Hogsmeade, but eventually the time came for Hogwarts to go back in session.   
  
Dee and August were still recovering from their injuries. Dee had an easier time of it than August. Dee had burn scars that were unlikely to fade. For a moment they wondered if the scars would fade when Dee used Polyjuice Potion to don his 'Adam Aceti' disguise, but the burns still afflicted him even while he was Polyjuiced.  
  
 _"I don't understand,"_  Logan murmured when he and Virgil were alone.  _"The scales on his face disappear while he is Polyjuiced. Why not the bu...oh, I see. Intriguing."_  
  
 _You gonna let me in on what you're saying?_  Virgil quickly scribbled then showed Logan.  
  
 _"I believed that Dee's scars would be hidden via Polyjuice Potion the way that his scales are. However, I failed to consider that the differing origins would have an impact on whether they are affected by Polyjuice or not. Dee's scars are cursed wounds, and the Polyjuice cannot counteract a curse. You experienced that yourself in Potions, if I recall correctly,"_  Logan mused.  
  
Virgil gaped. He was about to protest that he didn't know what Logan was referring to until he remembered his own experience with Polyjuice Potion in class this year. He was still unable to talk even after Polyjuicing himself as Chelsea.  
  
 _But the snake scales-_  Virgil began to write, but Logan stopped him before he wrote more.  
  
 _"The snake scales are not a curse,"_  Logan explained.   
  
 _Really?_  Virgil wrote, arching his eyebrow for effect.   
  
 _"There was no need to write that; I could have discerned what you were saying from your expression,"_  Logan noted, though one corner of his mouth twitched upward into a half smirk.

 _How are the snake scales not a curse? He can't seem to get rid of them,_  Virgil noted.  _Aside from Polyjuice Potion, I mean._  
  
 _"Yes, but he incurred those scales through a mishap during his Animagus training. There is no curse involved there. It was merely an unfortunate mishap on your brother's part that resulted in a permanent alteration to his appearance,"_  Logan replied.  _"They may be seen as a 'curse' in that they will not vanish from his true face, but they are not a true curse...that is, they were not the result of a Dark charm with the intent to do harm to the target, and there lies the difference."_  
  
Virgil supposed that made sense, but he wished that there were a way to just wave his wand and  _fix_  everything. To vanish his brother's scar, and to give August back his leg.  
  
August awoke a couple of days after Virgil, Patton, and Patton's family discovered what happened to him. He was understandably upset after finding out what happened, though he was grateful that he survived. There wasn't a dry eye in the room when he woke up, especially when he shared a teary-eyed reunion with Seth and Toby.  
  
He spent the next few weeks relearning how to walk. It wasn't  _easy_ , but by the time he was ready to leave St. Mungo's he was able to balance himself reasonably well on his crutches. He couldn't exactly go running and frolicking just yet, but he was no longer confined to his bed, and he was determined to take advantage of that.  
  
The train ride back to Hogwarts was relatively subdued, Virgil noted. And it wasn't just his friends either; there was a stark difference between this journey and the usual train journey on the way to school at the beginning of the year, or when they were leaving at the end of the year. Everyone seemed  _tired_ , more world-weary. Even the first and second years were impacted - they might not have been present in Hogsmeade, but some of them had older siblings or parents or even older friends that  _were_.  
  
The feast to welcome them back to Hogwarts was solemn as could be, with the Headmistress reading off a list of names of those who perished in the Fiendfyre attacks. Virgil's hand flew to his mouth. Somehow it seemed more  _real_  when names were announced, especially when a couple of them stood out to him as familiar. None of them were friends or anyone he was particularly close to, but they were still  _names that he recognized_ , and those were  _Hogwarts students_  who were walking around the school a few weeks before  _just fine_  before having their lives stripped away from them so senselessly simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
All Virgil and Dee (back in his Adam guise) wanted to do was get back to the Slytherin Common Room to  _process_  everything, but they were stopped numerous times by well-meaning but curious students who wanted to talk to Dee about his experience and/or how he was doing, and it got to the point where one person was asking so many intrusive questions that Virgil had to step in front of Dee protectively and motion for the person to back off. They didn't take it very well, but they obliged nevertheless.  
  
 _"You didn't have to do that, you know. I could have handled myself,"_  Dee whispered.  
  
He probably could have, but Virgil felt the need to step in and do  _something_. He couldn't just stand back and watch as this person pestered his brother! (Only  _he_  could do that.)  
  
As soon as they reached the Slytherin Common Room, Dee headed directly for their dorms. Virgil was about to follow him when he spotted Toby sitting in a corner, staring into the fire. Only as Virgil grew closer, it didn't look as though Toby was staring into the fire - it looked as though he was staring  _through_  the fire.  
  
Nevertheless, Toby gave a slight twitch as he noted Virgil's shadow coming over him. Glancing up at Virgil, it was clear that the third year read Virgil's confused expression, for he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.  
  
 _"I recognized one of the names the Headmistress read,"_  Toby admitted. He looked up and met Virgil's eyes with a stony expression.  _"August's best friend was one of those killed."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the end is a bit of a sucker punch there...honestly I didn't intend to write that until I was halfway through writing the chapter myself, so it was a bit of a sucker punch for me too. I felt that it was realistic, though - I honestly didn't intend for all of the cast to make it through the attacks (and I bet you guys can probably guess who I was originally intending to kill off X_X) but I couldn't bring myself to do so.


	13. Chapter 13

Virgil was grateful that the dorm he shared with Dee was empty aside from himself and Dee. He didn't have the energy to talk to anyone  _other_  than his brother at the moment, not with everything weighing on him after their first day back at Hogwarts.  
  
 _"What do you think, Virge - Do you think a paper taped to my shirt reading 'Take a picture, it'll last longer' will get the point across?"_  Dee asked, laying back on his bed and tossing something in the air and catching it. Closer inspection showed Virgil that it was a balled up piece of paper.   
  
Virgil shrugged and started to climb into his own bed. He tried to maintain as neutral an expression as possible.  
  
Dee wasn't convinced.  _"Wow, you look like you're having a wonderful night."_  
  
Virgil sighed. Perhaps it would have been better if Dee wasn't in the dorm after all. He felt immediately guilty for thinking that, though - it wasn't like Dee was being an ass in this instance, he was expressing genuine concern.  
  
Virgil gave another shrug in response, and Dee sat up in bed.  _"That's totally believable,"_  he said with a roll of his eyes.   
  
Virgil sighed, blowing up at his bangs.

 _"Seriously though, what's going on?"_  Dee eyed Virgil.  _"I could pretend I didn't notice you going over to talk to Toby before coming here, but that would be doing a disservice to both of us."_  
  
Virgil glanced over at Dee. It didn't seem like Dee was going to drop this until Virgil confessed, and Virgil didn't particularly  _want_  to confess, but...  
  
Maybe Dee was right. Maybe it would help to talk about it rather than pretend it didn't happen. After all, Dee would know  _all about_  denial and how harmful it could be. They saw that first hand with the boggart in their mother's flat.  
  
Virgil took a deep breath, chewing on the bottom of his lip in a roundabout way to work through his tension. Dee watched him closely, something that Virgil was aware of but tried to ignore so as to compose himself properly. He retrieved his pen and paper from the pocket of his hoodie, staring down at the pad as he tried to work out what he wanted to write. Somehow having to write it made it almost  _harder_  to say, because you could blurt something out in one fell swoop and be done with it. Writing was more deliberate.  
  
 _Toby said that_...Virgil stopped writing, trying to steel himself for what was coming next.  He saw Dee leaning over to read what Virgil wrote thus far, and closed his eyes to try to shut this out so that he could focus on the task at hand without feeling rushed. He knew that Dee wasn't doing it  _intentionally_  - he was merely curious, as  _anyone_  would be in his shoes - but it wasn't helping Virgil's nerves in the least.  
  
After a moment or so, Virgil opened his eyes once more. He quickly scribbled out the next part of his statement, wanting to get it out before he lost his nerve again. He tried to keep it as legible as possible, but as he was writing it fast, he wasn't sure how well it would come out. He then turned the pad to Dee as quickly as he could so that he wouldn't have to read it any longer.   
  
 _August's best friend was one of those listed by the Headmistress._  
  
Virgil didn't look Dee's way at first. Dee was silent, presumably taking the time to read what Virgil wrote - perhaps more than once, judging from how long it took for Dee to give any sort of response. Virgil didn't look until he heard a gasp from his elder brother, who was staring at the paper in what could only be described as horror. Virgil was surprised to see how troubled Dee looked by this news. Sure, Virgil hadn't taken the news well either, but Dee looked almost as though he was taking it worse than Virgil was?  
  
Then again, Dee was  _there_  when it all went down...it probably would weigh on him more than it would weigh on Virgil, the younger of the two realized guiltily. He was drawn back from his thoughts when he heard Dee speaking.  
  
 _"He was the only one we saw...August...Patton and I only saw August...I'm not lying this time..."_  Dee's face was pale, and Virgil's stomach lurched as he realized why Dee felt the need to say this.  
  
Virgil turned the pad back in his direction and wrote in large, deliberate penmanship this time.  _It's not your fault._  
  
 _"No, it's not,"_  Dee agreed, much to Virgil's surprise. He expected comforting Dee to be a bit harder than that.  
  
 _"It's the fault of those who carried out the attacks in the first place. I can't help but wonder, though...could we have saved him, if we just opened our eyes a little more? Was he lying nearby as well? It may not be our fault, but we could have done more to save him,"_  Dee confessed in a tone barely above a whisper.  
  
 _You're lying again,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
Dee looked positively bewildered at what he was reading.  _"Excuse me?"_  
  
 _If he'd been there, you would have seen him. You did everything that you could have,_  Virgil continued on.  
  
Dee frowned at that.  _"Still...I can't help but wonder."_  
  
 _I know. Believe me I know, I could probably write a book on what that feels like,_  Virgil admitted.  _But I don't want you to beat yourself up over anything you did wrong or didn't do right. You risked your life to save my best friend and his brother. They're alive because of you. Focus on that._  He reached out to grab his brother's hand and give it a squeeze.  
  
Dee sighed, glancing downward.  _"It just...it's not right. He's just a kid."_  
  
 _I know,_  Virgil thought in agreement, though he did not say this out loud nor write it out. He did not need to. Instead, he squeezed his brother's hand once more.


	14. Chapter 14

It was hard to get back into the swing of things after everything that happened. Defense Against the Dark Arts was devoted to curse breaking, as that was the only subject anyone wanted to talk about in class. There were an awful  _lot_  of curses for which there was no countercurse - Virgil didn't need to learn that in class, he knew it all too well from experience, as did many others after what occurred in Hogsmeade.  
  
That said, Fiendfyre  _did_  have a countercurse, and  _this_  tidbit of information lead to a cacophony of students speaking all at once. Virgil was tempted to throw his hood up and shrink down in his chair. They were all saying pretty much the same thing, so why did they all have to talk at once? And so  _loudly_  to boot?  
  
 _"Teach us the charm!"_  a Hufflepuff girl called out.  
  
 _"If there is a countercurse why did it take so long to stop the Fiendfyre in Hogsmeade?"_  a Ravenclaw demanded.  
  
 _"I hear it is a very difficult charm to perfect, and it has to be cast in just the right fashion, or else you run thr risk of making the fire worse,"_  Professor Goodwin admitted.   
  
 _"Can you teach us?"_  Virgil was surprised to hear  _Patton_  say.   
  
Professor Goodwin gave her a sad smile.  _"Truth be told, I've never cast the countercurse myself. Fiendfyre is such Dark magic that hardly anyone knows how to cast the curse itself, much less the countercurse."_  
  
 _"But you're the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Isn't it your job to know how to defend against the Dark Arts?"_  a Slytherin pointed out.  
  
Professor Goodwin looked troubled.  _"It is, but..."_  
  
 _"But what? You can't manage to do your job properly? My sister was killed, you know!"_  a Gryffindor snapped.  _"If you could cast the countercurse, she would still be alive!"_  
  
 _"Enough!"_  Logan shouted, using Sonorus on his voice to protect it.  
  
The room fell silent, but the Gryffindor girl glared at Logan.  _"Of course, Mr. Teacher's Pet is going to rush to the professor's defense..."_  
  
 _"I assure you, this has nothing to do with my personal opinion on Professor Goodwin's teaching abilities,"_  Logan retorted calmly.  
  
 _"Then what do you want to say?"_  a friend of the girl, a young man wearing Ravenclaw robes, folded his arms across his chest and stared at Logan as well.  
  
 _"All of this arguing is going to get us nowhere!"_  Patton cried. Everyone looked at him in surprise, Virgil included.  _"All of us are on the same side. I know we're all grieving. I know we're all in pain. But attacking each other like this isn't going to make things better - Its going to make it worse!"_  
  
Virgil was surprised that  _Professor Goodwin_  did not put her foot down before this. She was a professor, after all, and this  _was_  her classroom.

Seeing the thoughtful expression on her face, though, Virgil began to suspect that she's remained quiet on purpose. She seemed to be  _taking in_  what they were saying, as if their words were actually something worth listening to.  
  
Then she spoke at last.  _"I have an idea. A pet project for our class, of sorts. I may not be able to teach you how to cast the Fiendfyre countercurse, but that does not mean that we have to forego the lesson. I see how important this is to you all, and it is important to me as well."_  
  
 _"How can we go through with the lesson if none of us know how to cast the countercurse?"_  Era remarked skeptically.  
  
Virgil had to admit he wondered how  _that_  was going to work as well.  
  
 _"That's where the project part comes in...we're going to research it together, as a class,"_  Professor Goodwin announced.

The Gryffindor girl still looked annoyed, but less so.  _"I suppose that's better than nothing,"_  she admitted begrudgingly.   
  
 _"But if even you don't know how to cast the countercurse, it's got to be hard to find, right? So how are we going to find it?"_  a Slytherin girl wondered.  
  
 _"Obviously there are some people who know the countercurse, because they took care of the fire at Hogsmeade. The fire would have kept going indefinitely otherwise,"_  a Hufflepuff noted.  
  
 _"They had to call in a specialist from the Ministry though, didn't they?"_  Roman pointed out.  _"So if worse comes to worse we may have to go all the way up to the Ministry."_  
  
 _"The problem is, a countercurse for Fiendfyre would probably be found near information about Fiendfyre itself. Have you ever read about Fiendfyre at Hogwarts?"_  Chelsea remarked.  
  
 _"Its dark enough magic that Hogwarts may not even have books on the subject,"_  Professor Goodwin admitted.  _"I suppose this is the opportunity many of you have been waiting for, then,"_ she said as a small smile began to creep its way across her face.  
  
Virgil glanced around to see if the rest of the class was as confused as he was. Judging from the bewildered at best and dumbfounded at worst expressions on the faces of his friends and classmates? They were.

 _"What is she getting at?"_  Virgil heard Chelsea whisper to Era.  
  
 _"I'll be giving you all signed passes to go into the restricted section and check out two books,"_ Professor Goodwin announced.  
  
The classroom erupted into conversation at once over this new development.   
  
Class soon came to a close, and Virgil and Dee were on their way back to the Slytherin Common Room.  
  
 _"Going to the restricted section? We'll let the others take care of that,"_  Dee rolled his eyes.  _"I doubt they'll find much of use in there."_  
  
Virgil stared back at Dee in confusion.  
  
 _"We don't need restricted books. Even restricted books are still schoolbooks. What we need are books that delve a little deeper into the subject, if you know what I mean,"_  he said with a wink.  
  
Dee didn't mean...  
  
 _"I still have some of father's old books. We are much more likely to find something in there,"_  Dee smirked.  
  
...yep, Dee meant  _exactly_  what Virgil thought he did.  
  
Virgil was hesitant to go along with it, but...the class wanted to try the countercurse, didn't they?  
  
And to do that, they needed to use any avenue they had access to. Virgil just wished it wasn't an avenue associated with so much potential for trouble...if they were caught with those books, they could be  _expelled_...


	15. Chapter 15

_"How many more of these books does your brother have in his possession?"_  
  
Virgil should have expected this to be the first question Logan asked once he discovered the Dark Arts book in Virgil's backpack and deduced what happened.  
  
Virgil shrugged in responses, scratching the back of his neck. If Logan turned Dee in, Dee would be  _so_  pissed...  
  
He was probably putting too much thought into it. This was all much ado about nothing. But in the off chance that this was one of those rare instances that it wasn't, Virgil felt as though he  _couldn't_  allow himself to stop worrying, because the moment he did was when things were going to go wrong.  
  
Virgil nervously awaited Logan's reply.  _"I don't suppose he'd be willing to allow me to peruse at least one of the books?"_  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise.  _You're not going to turn us in?_  
  
_"I didn't turn you in when I discovered that Dark Arts book in your possession in our fifth year, did I?"_  Logan replied.  
  
...fair point.  
  
_"I see this as similar to our fifth year We are not reading these books in an attempt to learn the Dark Arts, but rather how to better shield ourselves from the magic described within those books. Some would argue that it is impossible to truly master Defense Against the Dark Arts without studying Dark Arts theory, and I would argue that their hypothesis has merit,"_  Logan admitted.  
  
Virgil was glad that he and Logan were in the abandoned classroom with a muffling charm on the door rather than somewhere where Logan's words could be overheard and Virgil's words could be read. Neither of them intended to do anything terrible with the knowledge they might procure, but Virgil had experience with the Hogwarts Staff jumping to the wrong conclusion in the past. It almost cost him his schooling at Hogwarts.

 _I should probably tell Dee that you know,_  Virgil wrote. It would be better if he got it over with  _now_  than to run the risk of Dee finding out later and thinking that Virgil was hiding something from him. Their relationship was better than it ever was prior, and Virgil was utterly terrified of ruining that.  
  
_"Of course,"_  Logan replied.  _"I could accompany you, if it would be easier that way?"_  
  
_I'm not sure, honestly,_  Virgil admitted. He tried to picture various scenarios in his head, but he found it hard to focus. His head was buzzing for much of the day, something that he attributed at first to getting up early in the morning for class after staying up late to look through the very book that Logan found in his bag.  
  
In fact, that was probably why the book was in his bag in the first place, rather than back in the dorm where he  _intended_  to leave it - He'd been tired and in a rush to get to class that morning.  
  
But this wasn't fatigue...or wasn't  _just_  fatigue, at any rate. Virgil realized that around lunch time, but he tried to ignore it. Maybe if he ignored it for long enough it would  _go away_.  
  
_"Are you alright, Virgil?"_  Logan's voice broke through Virgil's thoughts. Virgil nodded, shooting Logan what he hoped was a reassuring smile.  
  
Logan, unfortunately, looked unconvinced.  _"I believe that it may be in our best interests to wait until you are in a more optimal condition before we continue our study session."_  
  
_I'm fine,_  Virgil scribbled, trying his best to maintain good penmanship despite the throbbing in his head.   
  
_"Falsehood,"_  Logan replied. At least he didn't  _yell_  it this time. Virgil wasn't sure if he could handle that at this point in time. Virgil closed his eyes, trying to rein it all in.   
  
It didn't take long for Logan to let out a gasp.  _Of course Logan figured it out._  Virgil expected as much, though he hoped that he would at least have a little longer!  _"Virgil, I do believe that you may be about to give a prophecy!"_  
  
Virgil winced at that. A lengthy silence ensued...or perhaps it just  _felt_  lengthy. Virgil wasn't in the best condition to accurately guess how much time passed, not when he was trying to focus as much of his energy as he could on not giving in to the sensations threatening to overtake him.  
  
It would be so easy to just let the prophecy  _happen_...  
  
_"Virgil...are you fighting against your Sight?"_  Virgil could practically  _hear_  the eyebrow raise in Logan's tone, and would have let out a chuckle were it not for the precarious state that he was in. Virgil opened his eyes and managed a nod.  
  
_"...how long have you known?"_  Logan asked.  
  
Virgil sighed, chewing on the bottom of his lip. He grabbed his pen with a shaky hand and quickly scribbled out 'lunch' before closing his eyes once more.  
  
_"...lunch?! It is currently 4:30pm. You have been holding this back for four and a half hours?! No wonder you're in such a state."_  
  
Virgil shrugged. He'd dealt with it for the past four and a half hours, and he would deal with it for as long as he needed to - until the sensation went away entirely.  
  
_"You need to let it happen,"_  Logan told him.  
  
At that, Virgil let out a snort. He didn't  _need_  to let it happen. He fought it up to this point, he just had to keep going.  
  
_"Virgil, I do not know what you expect to happen, but this will not go away on its own,"_  Virgil heard Logan sigh.   
  
Virgil's stomach lurched at that. He hoped that Logan was merely  _hypothesizing_  that, but it was rare for Logan to make such a statement without at least  _some_  evidence to back it up. The Sight was surely something Logan researched at length, given that both his boyfriend and a good friend were Seers.  
  
_"You're making yourself sick,"_  Logan warned him.  _"You are, as the colloquial saying goes, shaking like a leaf. You are diaphoretic. I am concerned for your wellbeing should this continue."_  Logan took a deep breath, then reached out to squeeze Virgil's clammy hand and give it a squeeze.  _"Please, Virgil."_  
  
Virgil let out a shaky sigh. The last thing he felt before blackness consumed him was the distinct sensation of a weight being lifted off of him all at once.


	16. Chapter 16

Virgil was in bed. He wasn't  _supposed_  to be in bed. He was supposed to be in the abandoned classroom with Logan.  
  
How the hell did he get to bed?  
  
Virgil opened his eyes and lifted his head slightly, peering around the room.  
  
_Is this the Hospital Wing?_  Virgil gaped. What on Earth was he doing in the Hospital Wing. He never wound up in the Hospital Wing after giving a prophecy  _before_.  
  
_"Oh good, you're awake!"_  a voice called out. The Head Healer was walking toward his bed. Now that he had a better vantage point, he saw that Logan was seated not too far away, reading a book. He glanced up at once, a small smile crossing his features when he saw Virgil sitting up in bed with his own eyes.  
  
He was still confused, though. This must have shown on his face as the Head Healer began to explain what happened.  
  
_"Your friend notified us that you lost consciousness during a study session,"_  the Head Healer began.  
  
_Friend?_  Virgil arched an eyebrow Logan was definitely more than just a  _friend_. Before Virgil could express as much, however, the Head Healer continued.  _"He informed us that you were stressed about NEWTs and were overworking yourself. We gave you a Sleeping Draught which seems to have done the trick. You look a lot better than you did when you came in yesterday."_  She smiled warmly at him.  _"And don't worry, you're not the first to end up here because of NEWTs and you certainly won't be the last. Just be sure to take care of yourself so that this does not happen again, alright?"_  
  
The Healer then made her way across the room to tend to another patient. Logan approached behind her.  
  
_Hello friend,_  Virgil wrote with an arch of his eyebrow.  
  
_"Yes, I heard what she called me,"_  Logan sighed, shaking his head. He surveyed Virgil for several seconds before speaking up once more.  _"How are you feeling?"_  
  
_Confused,_  Virgil admitted.   
  
_"I would imagine that you would be, having regained consciousness in the Hospital Wing rather than our study room,"_  Logan noted.

 _I didn't pass out because of NEWTs,_  Virgil observed.  
  
The corners of Logan's mouth twitched upward slightly at that.  _"You did not, but I figured there would be far fewer questions with this explanation."_  
  
Virgil nodded, then began to jot down the question that was on his mind since he opened his eyes and determined that he was in the Hospital Wing.  _What am I doing here?_  
  
Logan read what Virgil wrote, a puzzled expression coming across his face.  _"I am not certain what you mean. Do you not recall the events just prior to your losing consciousness?"_    
  
_Yeah, but since when does giving a prophecy put me in the Hospital Wing?_  Virgil wrote in retort.  
  
Comprehension dawned on Logan's face.  _"Ah. If you recall the circumstances that led to your loss of consciousness, you may recall that were not your typical set of circumstances."_  
  
Virgil realized with a jolt that Logan was referring to Virgil's attempts to stave off the prophecy.  _That landed me here?_  
  
_"It did,"_  Logan replied. He then lowered his voice to a whisper.  _"Exhaustion did play a role in why you were brought here, I just neglected to mention the specifics as to why you were so exhausted and opted for 'NEWTs' instead."_  
  
Virgil had to hand it to Logan - He definitely thought this through.  
  
_So I probably shouldn't do that again,_  Virgil wrote, shooting Logan a wry grin as he passed the notebook closer to his boyfriend so that Logan would have an easier time reading it.  
  
_"No, you should not,"_  Logan replied sternly.  _"That was ill-advised, just as I suspected. Why did you do so?"_  Logan's voice softened near the end of his statement, though he still stared at Virgil expectantly.   
  
Virgil sighed, blowing a stray piece of hair out of his face.  _I didn't want to give a prophecy,_  Virgil admitted. As he read his note, he was aware of just how  _stupid_  the excuse sounded, and Logan's arched brow as he read Virgil's note only proved this in Virgil's eyes.  
  
_"I was not aware that you were ever particularly fond of the act of prophesying,"_  Logan noted.  _"That said, you never, until today, struggled against your Sight to the point of exhaustion. Why did you choose to do so now?"_  
  
Virgil sighed. He didn't expect that to work, but it was certainly worth a shot.  _I didn't want anything else to happen,_  Virgil admitted.  
  
_"Pardon?"_  Logan asked.  
  
_The last prophecy that Era had was about the attack in Hogsmeade. I didn't want to predict another one,_  Virgil confessed.  
  
_"Virgil...your prophecies have very little bearing on the events in and of themselves, other than perhaps to act as an early warning system that something may be on the horizon,"_  Logan explained.

Virgil frowned, smoothing out a wrinkle in the bedding as he mulled over what Logan was saying. He understood what Logan was saying, but it was hard  _not_  to feel like the harbinger of bad news when he and/or Era were usually the first indication to be on the look out for something bad to happen.

 _"Think of it this way, Virgil. You and Era are akin to weather forecasters. A weather forecaster may notify their audience that a storm is on its way, but the forecaster has no control over the intensity of the storm itself, or where it may strike - or if it even strikes at all! In fact, one could most certainly argue that prior knowledge that a storm may occur in your area allows for more adequate preparation in the event that a storm does strike,"_  Logan pointed out.  
  
Virgil shrugged. When Logan put it that way, it was difficult to argue against, but Virgil couldn't seem to shake the feeling of guilt, the idea that maybe if he didn't keep  _predicting_  these things they might not happen.  
  
_One more thing, Lo. What did the prophecy say?_  Virgil wrote. He wanted to know  _that_  before he did anything else. If he was putting himself through this much stress for this prophecy, he ought to at least hear it.  
  
Logan furrowed his brow, reaching to retrieve a slip of paper from his pocket...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 4th to all of my American readers (even though I don't feel like we have much to celebrate, especially these past few years...). I am, however, enjoying the day off work and the food, so there's that at least?


	17. Chapter 17

_"You tried to hold back a prophecy? I didn't even know that was possible!"_  Era's eyes widened, though Virgil noted that she looked almost contemplative.  
  
 _"Don't even think about it,"_  Chelsea warned her girlfriend, arms folded across her chest.   
  
 _"I wasn't actually going to try it. The idea just intrigued me, that's all,"_  Era assured her.  
  
Virgil had to admit that it was nice to be able to wait until he was in a secluded area before allowing the Sight full reign of his faculties.

But he didn't think he'd go so far as to try to hold back a prophecy again. As much as he didn't want the events of any prophecy that he or Era made to unfold, the events would unfold  _regardless_  of whether or not Virgil and/or Era gave a prophecy on the subject.  
  
He also didn't much fancy being sent to the Hospital Wing again. Logan might have done some quick thinking and blamed Virgil's loss of consciousness on stress over NEWTs rather than the aftereffects of trying to hold back a prophecy, but Virgil didn't want to take that chance a second time in a row.  
  
 _"What was the prophecy again?"_  Patton looked to Logan. Logan retrieved a notebook, flipping it open and coming through the pages until he reached roughly the halfway mark.  
  
He cleared his throat and began to read.  _"Choices need to be made. Dark forces threaten Hogwarts. Those who seek light will find it within themselves. A long kept secret will come to light."_  
  
There was a long pause after Logan read, broken only when Roman decided to comment on the contents of the prophecy.  _"Why can prophecies never spell out what we are facing? Why must they beat around the bush like this?"_  The Gryffindor let out an extensive sigh of frustration.  
  
 _"Sorry, I'll get right on that,"_  Era commented dryly.  
  
 _Same,_  Virgil wrote with a wry grin.  
  
Roman faltered at that.  _"I didn't mean it that way, I'm not suggesting that this is in any way your fault!"_  
  
 _"We know. We just find it equally as frustrating,"_  Era informed Roman. Roman looked to Virgil for confirmation, which Virgil provided by way of a nod. He wasn't upset with Roman in this instance, he was upset with the situation as a whole.  
  
He could not help but feel a tad amused when he saw Roman relax upon realizing that he  _hadn't_ unintentionally offended two of his friends.  
  
 _"I love how the prophecy notes that choices must be made, yet neglects to mention what those so-called 'important' choices are,"_  Deceit had his arms folded across his chest.  _"So helpful."_  
  
 _"I agree with Deceit,"_  Chelsea announced, then made a face.  _"Didn't think that would be something I'd be freely admitting to a couple of years ago."_  
  
 _"The dark forces are probably the same forces that used Fiendfyre in Hogsmeade,"_  Astrit noted.  
  
 _"So the Council and Dalibor?"_  Patton frowned.  
  
 _"They may be directly to blame, true, but this may also be a more generic reference to dark forces. There are those who subscribe to similar views, yet refrain from acting upon them with such fervor unless the opportunity arises. The environs in Hogsmeade have been wrought with tension over these past few months,"_  Logan observed.  
  
 _"Those who seek light will find it within themselves? What does that mean?"_  Roman pondered.  
  
 _"It means that those who seek light may begin to glow in the dark, of course,"_  Dee remarked sarcastically.  
  
Virgil bit down on his lip to keep himself from chuckling at that. He was barely able to hold back the snort that would have started it all.  
  
 _"Is anyone else most intrigued by the last bit? I can't be the only one,"_  Chelsea glanced around.  
  
A long kept secret? Virgil wondered about that too. What sort of long kept secret could possibly come to light now? And how long was 'long'?  
  
 _"I admit, that one piques my curiosity as well,"_  Logan confessed.  
  
 _"The prophecy said that those who seek light will find it within themselves. Then in the next sentence it says a long secret could come to light. Light is mentioned in both sentences, could that mean they're connected?"_  Astrit postulated.  
  
Virgil's eyes widened. He hadn't even considered that one. Neither had Logan, if the look on Logan's face was any indication.  
  
It was certainly worth looking into, at any rate.

 _"None of you are holding any long kept secrets, are you?"_  Chelsea eyed each one of them in what was such an exaggeratedly wary way that it was immediately clear that she was joking.  
  
Or that was what Virgil  _hoped_  at least. 

 _"Actually, I've been keeping a secret from all of you. Yes, even you Virgil."_  Deceit spoke up. Virgil turned to look at his brother at once.  
  
 _"You have?"_  Patton gasped.  
  
 _"Yes, I have, and I feel that now is the proper time to come clean to you all. I..."_  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched as he prepared himself for the worst. Was Dee leading them on this whole time? But after what he'd done for Patton and August...  
  
 _"Am a snake animagus,"_  Dee confessed.  
  
There was a brief pause. No one said or did anything until Dee finally had a pen chucked at him.  
  
 _"You turd. We already knew that. You literally transformed in front of several of us,"_  Chelsea folded her arms across her chest.  
  
 _"Oh, did I? Must have slipped my mind,"_  Dee chuckled, suggesting that Dee was all too aware of what he was doing the whole time, and very much  _did_  know that all of the others knew of this particular secret.  
  
 _"Don't do that again,"_  Logan scolded.  
  
 _"What? I'm just trying to lighten the atmosphere a little!"_  Dee shrugged.   
  
Virgil shook his head, yet couldn't deny that he was  _relieved_. It might be an odd way of going about it, but Dee did manage to cut through some of the tension with that joke. After all, they'd all been through more than enough with each other to have a good gauge of their deepest, darkest secrets.  
  
(He did make a mental note to whack Dee a few times with his pillow later on, however.)


	18. Chapter 18

Virgil didn't usually see much of August. Most of his fraternization with August and Seth was secondary, through either Patton or Toby.  
  
Thus he was surprised when August approached him on his own one day. He waved in Virgil's direction, leading Virgil to glance around to see who August was waving to. Was Toby nearby? He certainly couldn't be waving at Virg-  
  
_"Hey Virgil!"_  the Hufflepuff called out.  
  
Virgil stood corrected. He lifted his hand in a wave of his own, but knew that his confusion had to show on his face. He really didn't know why August was approaching him, and he didn't want to appear rude, he was just...caught off guard.  
  
August still used crutches to walk, though he navigated them quite well at this point. Virgil could recall Logan asking Patton if there was some sort of magic prosthesis that August could use, but Patton informed him that the cursed nature of August's injury prevented this from being a viable option.  
  
Virgil knew all too well how bad curses could  _suck_ , but...August seemed to be taking it in stride?  
  
(Then again, did August have any other choice?)  
  
_"Your friend's the one who saved me and Patton, right?"_  August blurted out.  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise. This was hardly what Virgil was expecting, and it took Virgil a second to recognize that August was talking about Dee, as August was not aware of 'Adam's' true identity. Once he recognized what August was asking, Virgil nodded in reply.

 _"Can you tell him thanks for me? I could do it myself but he's even harder to find than you are,"_ August admitted.  
  
Virgil nodded once more. He expected August to run off then, but August continued to stand in front of him, and Virgil wondered if he ought to say-er,  _write_  something before this got too awkward.  
  
(It was probably too late for that, but then again, Virgil often found conversations like this awkward by nature, so perhaps he wasn't the best judge.)  
  
Did August expect him to say something in response? Was that why he continued to stand there? It wasn't until he noticed that August was shuffling his feet that Virgil realized that perhaps  _August_ was the one who had something else to say, and was working up the courage to do so.  
  
Virgil retrieved his pen and pad from his pocket, just in case this would require more input from him, but also to take some of the heat off of August. He knew how hard it was to work up the nerve to talk about certain things, and when people  _stared_  at you expectantly it made things even worse. So he tried to stare everywhere  _but_  at August, but tried not to be too obvious about it in case August took  _that_  the wrong way...  
  
_"How long did it take you to get used to it?"_  August blurted out at last.  
  
Virgil...wasn't sure what to make of that question. Used to  _what_  exactly?  
  
_"You know, the..."_  August cleared his throat, something Virgil assumed was to make certain that Virgil was paying attention, but then August pointed to his own throat and cleared his throat again.  
  
_Oh_. August was asking about his own curse. That was still surprising, but a little less confusing now that he had an explanation.  
  
_I don't think I'll ever be used to it,_  Virgil confessed, showing the paper to August. August blanched and glanced down at his leg and his crutches, and the realization struck Virgil like lightning striking a metal post.  
  
August wanted to know  _because he was going through something similar with his leg_.  
  
Now Virgil felt terrible for being honest, because he might have hurt August in the process.  
  
But then...was honesty the best policy in this case? He didn't want to give August false hope that it would only take a few weeks or months before things got back to normal. This  _was_  normal for them now, a new normal that they had to adjust to one step at a time. Would they ever get used to it 100%? Virgil wasn't sure.   
  
_I'm not saying it doesn't get easier,_  Virgil quickly scribbled. Was 'easier' the word he was looking for? He'd certainly grown more accustomed to his condition as time went on, but 'easier' and 'used to' felt like loaded words in this instance. He wanted to help August, but he didn't want to give August the wrong information. August's experiences were similar, yes, but they were  _distinct_  as well - and August's journey could very well be much easier or much more difficult than Virgil's. And Virgil didn't want to presume which one it would be, because what if he was wrong and he let August down after August came to him for help?  
  
_"But you don't get used to it?"_  August filled in.  
  
Virgil shrugged.  _Its an adjustment. Having a voice then suddenly losing it, I still catch myself trying to talk sometimes. Then people look at me like I just said the sky was purple and I remember that I have to write down everything I say._  
  
August let out a slight chuckle at that.  _"Yeah, I get that. Like when my friends want to race down the halls to class to see who can get their first and I have to remind him that I can't go as fast as I used to, or when I have to take the lifts instead of the stairs..."_  
  
Virgil frowned at the matter of fact way in which August was telling him all of this, but...what other choice did August have? This was August's  _life_. It  _was_  all matter of fact to August, just like Virgil's curse was to him.  
  
_"Can I talk to you about one more thing?"_  August wondered, looking suddenly hesitant once more. Virgil wondered what was on the third year's mind now.  
  
Virgil nodded, not about to turn away August after everything else that happened.   
  
_"Do you think you can tell Patton to get off my case?"_    
  
...Virgil didn't know how to respond to that one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel I should note that I am not disabled, so if I am getting anything horribly wrong please let me know so that I can fix it.


	19. Chapter 19

Virgil furrowed his brow, trying to work out what August  _meant_  by that. How, exactly, was Patton on his case?  
  
August's eyes widened, presumably as he realized how snippy he sounded.  _"I mean...not that I'm not grateful. As far as big brothers go, I could have a lot worse,"_  August admitted.  _"But he just won't leave me alone!"_  
  
 _How?_  Virgil jotted out in reply.  
  
 _"He keeps asking if I need help with things, and keeps telling Seth and Toby to keep an eye out for me. I don't need help doing everything! How am I going to learn how to do it if everyone's always helping me?"_  August asserted.   
  
Oh, did Virgil understand  _that_  sentiment.  
  
Virgil figured that August was done, but then he continued on.  _"And I don't think he wants me to do anything I used to! He wants me to quit the Quidditch team! Can you believe that?"_  
  
Virgil's eyes widened at that. August still wanted to play Quidditch?! August noticed Virgil's reaction and let out a loud huff.  _"Not you too! I can still play Quidditch! Not like you need two legs to fly around on a broom!"_  
  
...that was a fair point.  _I'm probably not the best judge, you couldn't get me on a broom if you paid me a million galleons,_  Virgil admitted in his next note. He shuddered at the thought. He already had  _plenty_  of experience in Flying Class in his first year. If he had the option to do so, he would keep his feet planted firmly on the ground, thankyouverymuch!  
  
August let out a sigh of frustration.  _"Flying's probably one of the few things I can still do normally!"_  he snapped, and Virgil looked at him curiously.  
  
 _"Well, I mean, not the only thing, but...when it comes to moving around. I can't walk or run like I used to, but I can still out fly my friends on a broom!"_  August explained.  _"And..."_    
  
August faltered. Virgil wondered why. He didn't have to wonder for long.  
  
 _"Cole and I said we'd end up being the best Beaters Hufflepuff has ever seen. He...he may not be around to do it, but...every time I play, it will be for him. We can still be the best Beaters Hufflepuff has ever seen because every time I fly out there, he'll be flying with me,"_  August sounded more and more confident the more he spoke, until he sounded positively  _determined_.  _"But I can't do any of that unless Patton gets off my back!"_  
  
 _He's worried about you,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
August sighed.  _"I know, but...like, he doesn't even want me to play Quidditch! It's like he's afraid I'm going to break or something!"_  
  
 _He did almost lose you,_  Virgil reminded August.  
  
August's eyes went wide at that, and Virgil wondered if perhaps he'd gone too far.  
  
 _"I know,"_  August murmured quietly.  _"And I get...I know he's doing this because he cares. I know he's trying to protect me. But..."_  
  
 _But you still want to play Quidditch,_  Virgil supplied.  
  
August nodded.  _"Yeah. You don't think he'll be hurt, do you?"_  
  
Man, August was  _full_  of heavy-hitters today, wasn't he?

 _I think it will take him some time to adjust,_  Virgil admitted.  _But I think in the end he wants you safe and happy, and if playing Quidditch makes you happy he'll get that._  
  
August smiled.  _"So will you talk to him for me?"_  
  
Virgil bit his lip. He felt bad saying  _no_  to August, but it really wasn't his place to have a conversation like this with Patton. Virgil shook his head August's smile fell at once.  _"Why not?"_  
  
 _Well I can't talk for one,_  Virgil wrote, gesturing to his pen and then gesturing to his mouth. August could not help but let out a snort at that.  
  
 _But really, I think it'll sound better coming from you,_  Virgil admitted.  
  
August furrowed his brow as if weighing his options. Finally, he nodded.  _"Yeah...you're probably right. It's just hard. I don't want to hurt him."_  
  
 _He'll understand. Even if he doesn't right away, he'll get there,_  Virgil jotted out. He shot a small smile at August.  
  
August returned the smile and nodded.  
  
\---------------------  
  
Virgil met up with Logan in the library soon after this.  
  
 _"Where were you?"_  Logan frowned.  _"I thought we agreed to meet at 3:15pm?"_  
  
Virgil glanced at his watch, blanching when he saw that it was past 3:30pm. He slid into a seat and quickly scribbled out an explanation of what happened.  
  
 _"Ah, unforeseen circumstances happen to the best of us. I was concerned that you may have forgotten our arrangement,"_  Logan confessed.  
  
Virgil shook his head, a small smile making its way across his face. Virgil figured that was about as close as Logan was going to get to admitting that he was worried. If it were a regular study session, that would be one thing, but this was for a mock NEWT test that they would be taking in Astronomy. Anything NEWT related was enough to stress Logan to the nth degree. He felt bad for eating into his allotted time with Logan, but he could think of one possible solution that might soothe Logan's nerves about missing out on study time.  
  
 _We'll extend our study session a bit to make up for lost time. How does that sound?_  Virgil reached across the table and gave Logan's hand a squeeze, flashing him a soft smile.  
  
Logan squeezed back before retrieving his hand and fetching one of his books. He seemed to have relaxed some, which was a good sign.  
  
 _"Do you believe that August will take your advice and speak to Patton?"_  Logan wondered as he flipped through his book, trying to find the right page.  
  
 _Not sure, but I hope he does. It'll be for the best for both of them,_  Virgil wrote in reply before pulling out his own book and searching for the page they'd be starting from.  
  
Virgil and Logan were on their way back from the library a couple of hours later when they passed Patton and August talking in the hall. A corner of Virgil's mouth quirked upward. Looked like August had a good handle on things after all.


	20. Chapter 20

As Virgil predicted, Patton took his heart-to-heart with August in stride.  
  
_"I didn't realize that I was being so harsh on him...you don't think he's mad at me, do you?"_  Patton wondered as they tended to their bowtruckles in Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
It was hard for Virgil to provide any sort of verbal answer in such a hands on class, but shaking his head would suffice in this instance. He didn't know if August mentioned the conversation he had with Virgil, so he didn't know if Patton would know  _how_  Virgil was so certain that August wasn't mad at Patton, but Patton didn't seem particularly bothered by it.  
  
And he did try to lay off August, Virgil noticed. Rather than ask August if he needed help every time that he saw him, Patton backed off. He still kept an eye out for his brother, but he wasn't quite so  _overbearing_  about it for the most part. Which, from what Virgil could glean from his conversation with August the day before, was all that August was hoping for.  
  
Virgil still tutored Astrit when he could. It was hard for either of them to find time, with OWLs and NEWTs both fast approaching, but that also meant that Astrit's tutoring was more important than ever. Astrit wanted to get a good score on his OWL so that he could  _continue_  with NEWT level Defense Against the Dark Arts. Nor was Astrit the only one to benefit from these tutoring sessions. They were almost equally as helpful for  _Virgil_ , who was able to practice for his Defense Against the Dark Arts NEWT whenever he tutored Astrit.  
  
_"Can we practice again?"_  Astrit blurted out in the midst of one study session.  
  
Virgil didn't even have to speak to ask Astrit to clarify - A simple eyebrow raise would do in this instance.  
  
_"The Patronus Charm. I'd like to be able to complete it before my OWL,"_  Astrit supplied.  
  
_You don't have to do a Patronus Charm for your OWL,_  Virgil wrote in reply.  _I don't think it's even a requirement that you cast a corporeal one for your NEWT, just that you know the charm._ Given that some witches and wizards  _never_  cast the Patronus charm yet were still allowed to graduate Hogwarts, Virgil could only  _assume_  that was the case.  
  
_"I know,"_  Astrit responded.  _"But I'd like to know. I've heard that being able to produce a Patronus at such a young age can get you points on your OWL, and in the event that I screw up on other parts of my DADA OWL, I wouldn't mind having that cushion."_  
  
While Virgil understood Astrit's reasoning, he was still hesitant to skew the focus of their tutoring session to the Patronus Charm. He  _knew_  Patronuses weren't on the OWL, and wouldn't Astrit like to be prepared for something that was  _actually_  on the exam rather than something that might  _possibly_  grant him extra credit?  
  
...but Astrit looked determined, and this was  _Astrit's_  study session. It was to help Astrit, not Virgil, and if Astrit wanted help with the Patronus Charm...well, it  _had_  been a while since their last attempt.  
  
_OK. Have you been practicing?_  Virgil asked.  
  
Astrit grinned.  _"I have. Every night before I go to sleep. I've been able to get silvery wisps, see?"_  He raised his wand and pointed it before him.  _"Expecto Patronum!"_  he called out. Indeed, he produced a silvery mist, but not much else.  _"But that's not all!"_  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise as Astrit's excitement grew. It was as if he'd been saving this development for last on purpose. He closed his eyes in what Virgil assumed was an attempt to shut out all outside distractions and grant more focus on what he was doing.  _"Expecto Patronum!"_  he called out once more, opening his eyes as he did so. Once more, he only produced a silvery wisp. Astrit frowned, shaking his wand as if this would help it to work better. He closed his eyes again.  _"Expecto Patronum!"_  
  
This time, as Astrit opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of...something.  
  
It would be hard to explain to someone who wasn't present, but it was definitely  _something_. It was as if the silvery wisps were  _attempting_  to fuse into something, but weren't quite at that point.  
  
He'd never seen a stage between the production of a non corporeal Patronus and a corporeal Patronus...until now.  
  
This, more than anything else, assured Virgil that Astrit might finally have this in the bag. They needed to capitalize on this momentum. He  _wanted_  Astrit to succeed. He'd been where Astrit was, and the feeling of finally producing a corporeal Patronus after working so hard for it...Virgil wanted that for Astrit.  
  
The two practiced for a half an hour, Astrit still making it no farther than the vaguely animal shaped blob that his Patronus would congeal into every once in a while.  
  
_Maybe we should call it q-_  Virgil began to jot out, if only to prevent Astrit from getting to the point where he was completely despondent and thus tempted to put off practicing the Patronus Charm for  _good_ , but Astrit interrupted him.  
  
_"No. Tell me what I need to do to succeed!"_  Astrit pleaded, catching Virgil by surprise.  _"I just...what if something bad happens and I need to use this spell to protect Era or someone I care about? I already failed her once by not being there in Hogsmeade..."_  
  
_You didn't fail her. It's not your fault. You had no way of knowing what would happen in Hogsmeade. And she's safe now,_  Virgil reminded the Gryffindor.  _She made it out of Hogsmeade and reunited with you._  
  
_"I know, it felt like every horrible thought I had in my head about what could have happened to her melted away at once, I was so relieved and so ha-"_  Astrit's eyes went wide.  _"I got it. I got the perfect memory!"_  Tightening his grip on his wand, Astrit nodded determinedly. Virgil didn't know what Astrit was thinking about, but whatever it was caused the corners of Astrit's mouth to twitch upward.  _"Era..."_  his voice was full of pure, unbridled emotion, so unbridled that for a split second Virgil thought he'd been transported back to the moment they discovered that Era and Chelsea were safe. Virgil realized that Astrit was using the moment he discovered that Era made it back from Hogsmeade safely as his memory. And really, given  _why_  Astrit wanted so badly to learn the Patronus Charm, it stood to reason that one of his happiest memories would be the discovery that his dear sister was  _alright_.  
  
Recalling the tearfelt reunion between Era and Astrit, he suddenly realized that  _this was it_. This was the moment.  
  
_"Expecto Patronum!"_  Astrit shouted.  
  
The patronus started as a silvery wisp, that slowly began to form into a vaguely bird-shaped blob. But this time the magic did not stop there. This time, the wisp came together to form what was  _unmistakably_  a blackbird.  
  
"Yes!" Virgil blurted out, a grin slowly coming across his own features. "You did it!" Astrit wouldn't understand what Virgil was saying, but he would certainly understand the  _tone_ , and his eyes shot open at once. When he set his eyes on the silvery blackbird that floated before him, he was positively  _beside himself_.  
  
_"I did it! I did it! I finally cast one! I finally cast a Patronus charm!"_ Astrit beamed. He pumped his fists into the air, laughing joyously.  
  
And Virgil, grateful that they'd opted to do this study session in an abandoned classroom rather than anywhere they might be witnessed or overheard, could not help but join in.


	21. Chapter 21

The upcoming Quidditch game would decide whether Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff would go on to face Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup. As such, the school was abuzz in anticipation of the match on Saturday.  
  
For once, Virgil was  _included_  in the mix. He enjoyed watching Quidditch almost as little as he enjoyed  _playing_  Quidditch, but this would be August's first game after the Fiendfyre attack, and he wanted to show August his support after their earlier conversation.  
  
Virgil met Dee outside of the Slytherin Common Room. Patton designed a Hufflepuff hat for him. It was a bit... _much_  for Virgil, but he tried to reason that much of the school would be wearing such gear today and that he wouldn't stand out  _too_ much.  
  
 _"Yellow hat and green robes? You totally don't look like a dandelion right now,"_  Dee greeted him with a smirk as Virgil approached him.  
  
...comments like  _that_  didn't help, but he tried to consider the source. Dee might have turned over a new leaf, but he was still Virgil's  _brother_. It was practically his job to be an ass to Virgil on occasion.

So Virgil just rolled his eyes at Dee. It didn't take long for them to find Patton, Seth, and Toby, who were not only wearing the same Hufflepuff hats as Virgil but had badgers painted on their cheeks.   
  
 _"Great, I'm surrounded,"_  Dee let out an exasperated sigh.  
  
 _"I made one for you too, D-Adam!"_  Patton beamed, holding out a hat for Dee. The bemused expression on Dee's face made the whole thing worth it in Virgil's opinion.   
  
Dee took the hat and pasted a smile on his face.  _"Thanks, I absolutely love it,"_  he managed to say, placing the hat atop his head. Now he was stuck wearing the hat he'd given Virgil grief for, and Virgil thought it was great.  
  
 _"Roman, Logan, Chelsea, Era, and Astrit are supposed to meet us outside the Great Hall! Let's go!"_  Patton announced, motioning for the others to follow him. Seth and Toby set off right away. Virgil and Dee lingered slightly behind.  
  
Once he was sure that Patton wasn't paying attention, Virgil burst into laughter at Dee.  
  
 _"Shut up,"_  Dee hissed.  
  
To that, Virgil only laughed harder. He actually didn't have as much of a problem with the hats now that he saw that everyone else was wearing them. He'd been nervous about unwanted attention, but joining in with a group of friends made the whole thing a lot easier.  
  
 _Stop acting like you're too cool for us. You know you're just as much a nerd as the rest of us,_  Virgil wrote, passing the note to Dee. Dee read the note and rolled his eyes, but did seem to relax somewhat.  
  
 _"So long as I don't have to have a badger on my face,"_  Dee muttered.  
  
 _"Hey Virge, Adam! Do you want me to draw badgers on your face too?"_  Patton called back as if on cue, much to Dee's consternation.  
  
Virgil began to laugh all over again, as Toby, Seth, and Patton looked back and wondered what they missed.  
  
 _"Are you sure we should have agreed to meet outside the Great Hall? Everyone else seems to have had that idea too,"_  Toby pointed out.  
  
Indeed, the halls outside of the Great Hall were positively packed with people. Virgil did his best to stay close to his friends and not bump in to anyone else, though he looked forward to getting outside and getting some fresh air  _away_ from the crowd.  
  
 _"OVER HERE!"_  Virgil heard Roman shout. Of course Roman was loud enough to be heard over the cacophony.  
  
Roman went above and beyond the hats and painted cheeks. He was decked out from head to toe in yellow and black, including the hat that Patton seemed to have made for  _everyone_ , and carried with him a large, rolled up sign. His  _entire face_  was painted as if he were a dressing up as a badger for Halloween, rather than just the one badger on his cheek like Patton, Seth, and Toby.  
  
Era and Astrit forewent the hats, but each had a badger on their cheeks. Chelsea forewent the hat as well, but had a badger on one cheek and an eagle on the other.  _"What?"_ Chelsea asked when someone shot her an odd look.  _"I have to support my House team too!"_  
  
Logan looked even less like he wanted to be there than Dee did, and wore one of Patton's hats. He looked as though he'd rather be back in his dorm studying, though his face lit up when he caught sight of Virgil.  
  
 _"I see they got to you and your brother as well,"_  Logan noted, gesturing to the hats atop both of their heads.  
  
Virgil shrugged, giving Logan a small smile as if to say 'what can you do?'. Dee looked up at his own hat and signed.  _"I guess if anyone asks I can tell them I'm supporting the team my 'uncle' was on when he went to Hogwarts."_  
  
 _"Professor Picani played Quidditch for Hufflepuff House?"_  Astrit glanced over in surprise.  
  
 _"For a couple of years during his earlier years at Hogwarts. Apparently he dropped it once he hit NEWT classes, but he made for a pretty good Seeker from what I heard,"_  Dee shrugged.

 _"Well, it's getting close to game time!"_  Roman announced.  _"I for one am looking forward to seeing who will take second place this year!"_  
  
 _"Second place?"_  Chelsea raised an eyebrow.   
  
 _"Of course. Whoever wins this match will attain second place in the Quidditch Cup standings!"_  Roman clarified.  
  
...or did he?

 _"Falsehood, the team that loses the championship match, whether it be Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw, will be the runner-up for the Quidditch Cup,"_  Logan explained  
  
 _"Uh duh, and that'll be either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, because Gryffindor is gonna whip their butts!"_  Roman asserted.  
  
Logan let out an exasperated sigh.  _"Why do I even bother?"_  he muttered. Virgil chuckled and took his boyfriend's hand into his as the group set off for the Quidditch Pitch, and  _away_  from the crowded hall, much to Virgil's relief. He knew the stands at the Quidditch Pitch would be busy, but at least they wouldn't be packed like sardines...


	22. Chapter 22

Virgil tried his hardest to focus on the game and  _not_  how high up they were.  
  
Roman and Seth wanted to go to the top of the stands, so of course the rest of the group obliged. And it wasn't like Virgil could speak up because a) He didn't want to be the one to rain on everyone's parade, and b) He literally  _could not speak intelligibly_.   
  
He tried to focus on the game, he really did, but it felt as if there were a magnet that kept drawing his eyes over to the edge of the stands.  
  
His stomach lurched every time he forcefully reminded himself just how  _far away_  the ground was.   
  
_Breath in for four seconds, hold for seven seconds, breath out for eight seconds,_  Virgil thought to himself, closing his eyes. He did this a few times trying to ease his racing heart. With his eyes closed, it was almost as if he were safe on solid ground...  
  
_"Have any of you guys seen August yet?"_  Virgil heard Seth say. Virgil opened his eyes and glanced out at the field, trying not to let his eyes wander over the side of the stands. Come to think of it, he  _didn't_  see August out there.  
  
_"I think he's supposed to play later in the game,"_  Patton told them.  _"Just give it some time, they probably wanna ease him back into it!"_  
  
_"August didn't want to be eased back into it,"_  Toby reminded Patton.  
  
The game continued. Virgil did his best to focus on the game, though every once in a while Virgil's gaze was pulled back over the ledge and he had to grab the seat beneath him to steady himself from the sudden wave of vertigo that ensued.  
  
Trying to distract himself, Virgil glanced to the enchanted scoreboard. Hufflepuff was doing well. They had 40 points to Ravenclaw's 20.  
  
_"Oh come on!"_  Chelsea shouted, cupping her hands over her mouth to amplify her voice.  _"You guys can do better than that!"_  
  
_"Don't count 'em out yet. They can still win with the Snitch,"_  Astrit pointed out.

 _"Astrit, just who are you rooting for?"_  Toby asked with an arched eyebrow.  
  
_"Whoever Gryffindor can beat in the Championship game,"_  Astrit admitted.  
  
_"...okay, fair,"_  Toby replied with a shrug.  
  
The game continued, still with no sign of August.  
  
_"I'm starting to get worried now. Why isn't he playing?"_  Patton frowned. The score was now 70 to 60, with Hufflepuff winning.  
  
_"I don't know, but Roberts better find the Snitch soon or else Ravenclaw might actually take the lead,"_  Seth pointed out.  
  
_"Roberts better take his time then,"_  Chelsea taunted.  
  
_"Oh hush, you,"_  Era teased. Chelsea snickered and the two shared a brief peck on the lips.  
  
_"Snitch,"_  Dee called out, pointing near one of Ravenclaw's hoops. Indeed, if Virgil squinted he could make out the reflection of the shiny golden Snitch flittering about in the air next to the hoop. And sure enough, the Seekers from both teams were speeding toward this corner of the pitch to be the one to catch it first. A boy in Hufflepuff robes, presumably Roberts, closed his hands around the Snitch...  
  
_"WE DID IT! WE'RE GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!"_  Seth shouted, causing Virgil to jump so much that he nearly fell out of his seat.  
  
The entire Hufflepuff section burst into thunderous applause.  
  
It didn't take long for Virgil to figure out that not  _everyone_  was clapping. Patton was staring down at the pitch where the players were landing, his eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into fists.  
  
_"Patton, darling, are you..."_  Roman asked, but Patton took off toward the bottom of the stands at once. Roman blinked in surprise before setting off after Patton. Virgil and the others weren't far behind Roman, but Patton was  _far_  ahead of any of them.  
  
He strode up to a tall young man and the two immediately began to exchange words.  
  
Virgil wasn't close enough to hear anything being said, but he could easily identify the tension from their stances. Specifically, Patton looking to be tearing into the other young man, while the other young man stood on the defense.  
  
_"You're a terrible Captain!"_  was the first thing Virgil heard Patton say once he and the others were close enough.  
  
_"Whoa,"_  Virgil heard Chelsea say beside him.  
  
_"As Captain, I have to do what's best for my team!"_  the young man responded.  
  
_"August is a part of your team! What about what's best for him?"_ Patton snapped.  
  
_"This is what's best for him! He has a handicap! Having him play in such a high stakes game is too stressful and he's still recovering from his injuries,"_  the young man argued back.  
  
_"Bullshit!"_  Patton snarled. Seth and Toby both looked as though they'd seen a ghost, and Virgil realized that this was probably the first time they'd witnessed Patton  _swearing_  in front of them.  
  
_"You've never played Quidditch, so you can hardly talk about what's best for my team,"_  the young man sneered.  
  
_"I may not know Quidditch, but I know my brother! I know he was looking forward to playing, and you didn't let him out on the field once!"_  Patton asserted.  
  
_"We needed to win!"_  the Hufflepuff Captain snapped.  _"And I couldn't ensure we'd win with someone who-"_  The Captain snapped his mouth closed at once, his eyes widening. He seemed to realize at once that he'd gone too far.  
  
_"Someone who what?"_  Patton asked, his eyes narrowed.  
  
_"Nevermind that, I'll make certain that he plays in the Championship game at some point,"_  the Captain assured him.  
  
_"I don't know if I want my brother playing for someone like you,"_ Patton growled.   
  
_"Excuse me?"_  the Captain replied. Virgil couldn't believe that he actually had the  _nerve_  to look defensive.  
  
_"My brother shouldn't have to play for someone who believes that his skill is lesser because of something completely beyond his control. As much I support the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team, I hope Gryffindor beats you in the Championship. Maybe that will teach you some humility,"_  Patton's voice was colder than Virgil  _ever_  heard it, and as Patton turned and headed off the pitch and back toward the castle, his expression was stony.


	23. Chapter 23

Fortunately, something was  _done_  about what happened. Unfortunately, it was too late to take back what already happened.  
  
Patton was assured that August would be playing in the next game, but it was too late to take back the hurt that was already there.  
  
_"They say he'll play in the Championship game for sure, but he isn't even sure if he wants to play anymore,"_  Patton confessed to Virgil a couple of days later in Care of Magical Creatures.  
  
Virgil's eyes went wide. Knowing how passionate August was about Quidditch, he  _knew_  that this change of mind was brought about by what happened in the Quidditch match on Saturday.  
  
_Were you able to convince him to give it another try?_  Virgil wrote in reply.  
  
Patton sighed.  _"The most he said was a 'maybe', but it sounded an awful lot like he was only saying it to appease me."_  
  
Virgil furrowed his brow. He couldn't blame August for feeling the way that he did; he'd probably do the same thing in August's shoes. And to be honest, he wasn't sure what any of them  _could_  say to make August feel better, or convince him to get back in the game.  
  
He'd been there before, and could probably write a ten page essay on it. Honestly, during such instances it sometimes felt as though he continued forward out of  _spite_...  
  
\-----------------  
  
Virgil didn't expect to run into August in the hall, but August didn't turn at the sight of him, which was better than what  _Patton_  could say as of late. Virgil knew that August wasn't upset with Patton, he just wanted to avoid discussing the subject with Patton. However, because Patton was concerned for August's wellbeing, it was something that Patton would bring up on a consistent basis.  
  
Poor guy probably felt like he was backed up into a corner. Virgil lifted his hand to wave to August as he passed him, but then froze. He glanced back at August, who continued on. The hall was empty and August was still within hearing range...  
  
Virgil cleared his throat loudly in an attempt to get August's attention. He was pleased to see August turn around in confusion.

 _How is it going?_  Virgil wrote, passing the note to August. August hesitated for a moment, then glanced down at the note.  
  
_"Its fine,"_  August replied with an attempt at a nonchalant shrug.  
  
Virgil folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'really?', knowing that he could convey a lot more with this simple gesture than he could by writing the same question.  
  
August's demeanor changed, and he adopted a defensive stance.  _"I don't want to talk about it,"_  he ground out between clenched teeth.  
  
_But you need to,_  Virgil replied.  
  
_"Do I? It's clear they don't think I can play Quidditch, so I'm not playing Quidditch. Everyone's happy. End of story,"_  August shrugged.  
  
_You're not happy,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
_"Doesn't matter. Quidditch is about winning, and I don't want to be the reason the team loses,"_  August retorted.   
  
_Then don't be,_  came Virgil's response.  
  
August blinked and glanced up at Virgil's face for the first time since the beginning of their conversation.  _"What?"_  
  
_Don't be the reason they lose,_  Virgil replied.  _Be the reason they win._  
  
August furrowed his brow at that.  _"But...if we lose they'll blame me."_  
  
_That's their loss. Doesn't what they're saying about you piss you off?_  Virgil scribbled.  
  
August let out a snort.  _"Duh. They're acting like all the skill that landed me a Beater spot vanished into thin air. Unless all of my Quidditch talent was stored in that one leg, I'm pretty sure it's still here."_  
  
_Then show them that. Make them regret their words,_  Virgil told August.  
  
August looked contemplative, as though he was mulling over Virgil's words.  
  
_They want to keep you down? Keep going just to spite them,_ Virgil wrote.  
  
August looked...emboldened at this. He gave a firm nod.  _"I'll tell the Captain that I changed my mind."_  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise, though quickly replaced it with a more neutral expression and a nod of his own. He shot August a thumbs up. August returned the gesture then headed down to what Virgil presumed was the Hufflepuff Common Room.  
  
In the meantime, Virgil stood stunned. He hadn't expected that to  _work_. The attitude helped Virgil on occasions in the past - Knowing how much his father disapproved of him and wanted him to falter and fail at any opportunity, to prove that he was right all along about the supremacy of purebloods and that Virgil was  _wrong_  to have an open mind, was  _wrong_  to actually question things, was  _wrong_  to be himself, to the point where he went so far as to  _alter Virgil's memory_  to mold him into the youngest son that he always wanted. It was tempting to just  _give up_ , and in his early years, especially when he was in with the Dark Sides at Hogwarts? He nearly did.  
  
But that would mean that his father won, just like August dropping the Quidditch team would mean that the Captain had won. And neither Linus nor the Captain deserved a win.  
  
When Patton saw Virgil next, he brought with him exciting news.  _"He's staying on the Quidditch team! I wonder what finally got through to him?"_  
  
Virgil shrugged, though could not help but let out a sigh of relief.  
  
That evening, Virgil and Dee were in the Slytherin Common Room working on their homework when Toby approached them. Both young men turned to Toby in surprise.  _"I'd like to learn the Four-Point Spell,"_  he told them.


	24. Chapter 24

Virgil and Dee looked back at Toby in bewilderment.  
  
 _"I'd like to learn the Four-Point Spell,"_  Toby repeated.   
  
 _"Sorry, we didn't hear you the first time,"_  Dee responded sarcastically.  
  
Virgil rolled his eyes and playfully kicked at his brother's leg before turning to Toby.  _Why?_  Virgil quickly jotted, showing the note to Toby.  
  
 _"Because it sounded like a cool spell,"_  Toby responded.   
  
 _"What's so cool about a spell that can point your wand north?"_ Dee asked, clearly skeptical.  
  
 _"There's a Muggle invention that can do the same thing. It's called a compass. I was just wondering how the spell compares,"_  Toby replied.  
  
 _"Haven't you learned that in class?"_  Dee continued.  
  
 _It's a fourth year spell I think,_  Virgil informed Dee, then turned to Toby.  _Dee's right though._  
  
Dee huffed.  _"Of course I am, aren't I always?"_    
  
Virgil rolled his eyes at that, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward at his brother's ridiculousness.

 _It's not exactly the Patronus Charm,_  Virgil explained, knowing that that was the one that  _everyone_  seemed to want to learn when they were younger, if only to find out what their Patronus would  _be_.  
  
 _"So why are you so interested in it?"_  Dee folded his arms across his chest.  
  
Toby looked defensive, not even meeting Dee's eyes...far too defensive for Dee's questioning to actually be off base. Toby was indeed hiding something from them.  
  
 _Why do you want to know the Four Point Spell?_  Virgil wrote.  
  
Toby clenched his hands into fists as he ground his teeth together.  _"Someone has to do something!"_  
  
 _"...oh wow. That explains everything,"_  Dee arched an eyebrow at the younger student as if to say 'come on, you can do better than that'.  
  
 _"I can't stay in Hogwarts. Not while the people who hurt August are still out there!"_  Toby growled.  
  
 _"You're a third year. Just what do you think you can do against them that a grown wizard cannot?"_  Dee inquired.  
  
Toby faltered at that. Virgil couldn't help but feel bad for him. His heart was in the right place, but Dee was correct- Toby was not equipped at all for a battle like that, not the least because of his  _age_. And if he went alone, that would only add to the risk...  
  
 _Its not a good idea to skip school to go after an enemy that you might not even find,_  Virgil wrote to Toby.  
  
Dee took one look and immediately burst into laughter. Virgil cast a glare in his direction and Toby wore a befuddled expression.  _"You're one to talk, Virge,"_  he said through his amusement. 

 _"Hey, he's right!"_  Toby turned to Virgil.  _"You, Patton, and your friends all skipped school the second half of last year!"_  
  
Virgil's face reddened. Toby and Dee weren't wrong in this instance, but...  _It's still not safe. You're only a third year._  
  
 _"And you were in your fifth year when you first faced the bad guys, Patton told me. Astrit was a third year too!"_  Toby argued.  
  
 _"He's got you there, Virge,"_  Dee chuckled.  
  
Virgil cast a glare in Dee's direction and hissed for good measure. Rather than discourage Dee, however, he merely looked bemused.  
  
 _Don't encourage him,_  Virgil scribbled into a note that he chucked at Dee's head.  
  
 _"Mature,"_  Dee smirked, but uncrumpled the note and read it.  
  
 _"What does it say?"_  Toby wondered.  
  
 _"It's telling me not to encourage you,"_  Dee chortled.  
  
 _"That's kind of hypocritical isn't it?"_  Toby scoffed, but then Dee's face turned serious.  
  
 _"But honestly, he's right,"_  Dee murmured.  
  
Toby gaped, clearly taken aback that his primary supporter in his endeavor was withdrawing his support.  _"But you said..."_  
  
 _"Just because your brother and his friends did it doesn't mean that you should too. They're repeating their seventh year instead of going out into the work force with the rest of their friends. Do you want to have to do that?"_  Dee posited.  
  
 _"...no,"_  Toby admitted reluctantly.  
  
 _We were also of age, and two of us weren't exactly withdrawn from Hogwarts willingly at first,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
Toby nodded, looking a bit sheepish.  _"It's just...it's frustrating, you know?"_  
  
 _"Nope, haven't the faintest clue,"_  Deceit responded sardonically. Fortunately, Toby did not take offense to this, and actually managed a few snickers himself. He looked at Dee, frowning.  
  
 _"How are your..."_  he motioned to Dee's face and arms.  
  
Dee let out a snort.  _"The burns? It's not a forbidden word, you can say it out loud. And they're...there. Totally not a nuisance when people keeping asking about them."_    
  
Toby paled, opening his mouth.  _"I'm sor-"_  
  
 _"Nah, you're cool,"_  Dee interjected.  _"You asked because you genuinely wanted to know how my healing was going. I'm talking about people who don't know me from a hole in the brain waltzing up to me and asking what's going on with my face."_  
  
 _"Oh...yeah, that's not good,"_  Toby agreed.  
  
Virgil couldn't help but suspect that Dee was referring to more than just his recent burns when it came to questions about what happened to his face, given the markings on his face in his non-Polyjuiced form.

 _You won't go look for the people who did this, will you?_  Virgil wrote, trying to bring the point back home.  
  
Toby sighed.  _"What other choice do I have?"_  
  
Virgil let out a sigh of relief. He could tell that Toby was reluctant to accede to their point, but they  _did_  have a point.  
  
 _"Good. Because you do realize that if we actually encouraged you, your older brother would have our heads, right?"_  Dee said with a wry grin.  
  
Toby chuckled.  _"I didn't think about it that way. Well, since you're not going to be teaching me the Four Point Spell...I should probably head to my dorm. I have some homework to work on."_  
  
Virgil, Dee, and Toby bade each other farewell before setting back to work. Virgil chewed on his lip as he penned in an answer for his homework assignment, contemplating what he should do next. Should he tell Patton about this or leave it be?


	25. Chapter 25

Virgil and Patton were on their way back from Care of Magical Creatures. As this was their last class of the day, they were headed back to their respective Common Rooms to do a bit of homework before meeting up with Logan, Roman, Astrit, Era, and Chelsea later on.  
  
A day passed since their conversation with Toby, and Virgil still had yet to reach a decision. Should he tell Patton what Toby was considering? Would it do more harm than good  _to_  tell him? Virgil had a feeling he'd be spending more time mulling over this decision than working on homework like he originally intended.  
  
Virgil and Patton were about to part ways when Dee came out into the hall. He looked frantic. His eyes locked with Virgil's, and he ran up to Virgil and Patton at once.  
  
_"He's missing,"_  Dee panted.  
  
_"Who's missing?"_  Patton frowned.  
  
_"Toby! He did exactly what we told him not to do!"_  Dee elaborated.  
  
_"What we told him not to do? What did we tell him not to do?"_ Patton looked utterly blindsided, and Virgil was hit by a surge of guilt.  
  
_"...you didn't tell him? Wow, Virgil, you'd think telling his own brother what he was considering would have been one of the first things on your to-do list,"_  Dee arched a brow.  
  
Virgil shot an incredulous look at Dee. Who was  _he_  to chastise Virgil? But this was quickly eclipsed by a much stronger surge of guilt.  _I should have told Patton,_  he thought to himself.  _If I'd told Patton, he could have talked to Toby and Toby might still be here._  
  
...where did Toby even go? Where  _could_  he have gone?  
  
_"What is he talking about, Virgil? What did you not tell me? What happened to Toby?"_  Patton asked him.  
  
_Toby came up to us yesterday asking us to teach him the Four Point Spell,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
Patton furrowed his brow as he stared at the page.  _"I don't understand. What does that have to do with anything?"_  
  
_He wanted to use it a compass. He wanted to go after those responsible for the Fiendfyre attack,_  Virgil explained.  
  
_"And you let him?!"_  Patton blurted out, voice almost hysterical.  
  
_"Do you think we're stupid? Of course not! We tried to talk him out of it!"_  Dee retorted.

Patton turned to Virgil next.  _"Why didn't you tell me? How long have you been keeping this from me? I could have talked to him! I could have stopped him!"_  
  
The betrayal in Patton's tone caused Virgil to wince. He didn't blame Patton for being upset, but he knew that he'd made the wrong decision in not bringing up what happened to Patton.  
  
Beside him, Dee sighed.  _"As much as I enjoy giving Virgil grief, I do feel that it is largely unwarranted in this instance."_  
  
...huh?  
  
_"Did the two of you see each other prior to the Care of Magical Creatures class that the two of you share?"_  Dee inquired.  
  
Patton shook his head.  _"What does that have to do with-"_  
  
_"Toby approached us yesterday,"_  Dee informed Patton.  
  
_"...oh,"_  Patton replied, looking a tad sheepish as he glanced back at Virgil.  _"I'm sorry, I didn't...I shouldn't have snapped at you like that."_  
  
_You're right to be mad at me though,_  Virgil wrote.  _I was thinking about not telling you._  
  
Patton furrowed his brow.  _"I don't know if mad is the right word, kiddo. I just...I don't want anything bad to happen to him. The triplets have already been through so much as it is."_  
  
_"Are you two done?"_  Dee wondered.  
  
Virgil and Patton turned to Dee in confusion.  _"Well, we have two options. The first - we can stand here and continue to discuss Toby's disappearance. Though the two of you seem to be leaning toward this option, I would suggest that the second option, trying to find Toby, might lead to a greater benefit."_  
  
Patton's eyes went wide.  _"He couldn't have gotten far. His last class would have gotten out shortly before ours did. He might even still be in the castle!"_  
  
_"I don't think so,"_  Dee responded.  _"Toby wanted to know the Four Point Spell. He wanted to be able to determine which direction he was traveling in. I suspect that not only does he intend to travel, but he intends to do so off of the beaten path, so to speak."_  
  
Virgil and Patton gasped simultaneously.   
  
_"I take it you two have come to the same conclusion that I have?"_  Dee quirked an eyebrow.  
  
_"The Forbidden Forest. Toby went to the Forbidden Forest,"_ Patton realized. Virgil nodded in agreement.  
  
_"We need to notify the Headmistress immediately, then find the others!"_  Patton announced, turning back toward the stairs.   
  
Dee let out an incredulously snort.  _"A fantastic idea, we won't lose any precious time that we could be using to find and possibly rescue Toby should he encounter danger by doing that. And it's not like we haven't already wasted several minutes having social hour in this hallway."_  
  
As much as Virgil hated to admit it, they needed to act now. Either before Toby landed himself in danger, or before Toby made it off of Hogwarts Grounds, because then who  _knew_ what might happen. Virgil looked to Dee and nodded.  
  
Virgil could practically  _see_  the internal struggle within Patton's mind as he weighed his options. He understood where Patton was coming from, but at the same time...time was of the essence.  
  
_"Any day now,"_  Dee urged him. Though Dee wasn't  _wrong_ , Virgil wasn't particularly pleased with his brother for being rude to his best friend, and shot him a  _look_. Dee merely shrugged back.  
  
Patton on the other hand jumped at Dee's outburst, clearing his throat as he glanced back up at the stairs.  _"We need to find him. We need to bring him back safe. The faster we do it, the better. I guess we're going into the Forbidden Forest."_  
  
Virgil slipped his hand into his pocket to ascertain that his wand was there before venturing up the stairs with Patton and Dee. He had a bad feeling about this...


	26. Chapter 26

Most of Virgil's memories associated with the Forbidden Forest weren't exactly  _pleasant_.  
  
_"I must warn you, all sorts of dangerous creatures and beings lurk within these forests..."_  Dee told Virgil and Patton forebodingly.  
  
_We know. We've been in the forest before,_  Virgil wrote in reply.  
  
_"Yeah...I just hope we don't run into any Acromantulas again,"_ Patton gave a hearty shudder.  
  
_Acromantulas are the least of my worries,_  Virgil wrote in reply.  _Though I don't think horcruxes are a common sight in the forest._  
  
_"You never know in the Forbidden Forest,"_  Dee admitted. Virgil's stomach lurched. He knew that Dee was teasing (though he was certainly right that the Forbidden Forest held plenty of dangerous thing, and that more dangerous items might be among them), but the recollection of his limbs seemingly moving of their own accord while he watched? An involuntary shudder coarsed through Virgil.  
  
As Virgil was preoccupied with his own recollections, he didn't see the flash of regret that came across Dee's features when he saw Virgil shudder.  
  
_"Should we use a light spell?"_  Patton whispered.  _"It would help us to see where we're going, but would also give something else the ability to see us coming."_  
  
Virgil chewed on his lip, weighing the options. It wasn't  _that_ dark in the forest, not yet at least, and Virgil didn't think that drawing any extra attention to their whereabouts was wise unless it came out of necessity. Virgil shook his head.  
  
_"I for one love a beacon that will announce to every creature within a mile radius that three fresh meals are headed their way,"_ Dee commented wryly.  
  
_"So that's two votes no?"_  the corners of Patton's mouth twitched upward as he briefly glanced back at Virgil.  
  
Another shudder tore through Virgil, though this time he was not certainly why he shuddered. He didn't think of anything disturbing the way that he had before. That said, something felt...strange, but he wasn't sure what. It didn't quite feel like a panic attack, but something felt very off.

As the three ventured further into the forest, the feeling grew. Virgil's heart pounded, and he ached to grab his brother and best friend by the hand and run with them as fast as he could out of the forest.  
  
But he couldn't -  _wouldn't_ \- not without finding Toby first. The moment they found Toby, though, they were heading directly back to the castle.  
  
_"What if he's not in the Forbidden Forest? What if he already made it off the grounds?"_  Patton fretted.  
  
Dee scoffed.  _"He's a third year. Do you really think he already made it off the grounds? He's probably run afoul of some-"_  
  
They heard a shout from another area of the forest.  _"Well that didn't sound troublesome at all,"_  Dee commented sardonically just as he, Virgil, and Patton took off in the direction of the shout.  
  
_"That was Toby, I would know his voice anywhere!"_  Patton told them breathlessly as they ran.  
  
_"You sure it isn't August or Seth? I've heard their voices are quite similar,"_  Dee retorted drily.  
  
Patton responded back with something else, but Virgil's attention shifted to the sight that unfolded several yards away. Toby stood with his wand outstretched toward...nothing? But judging from Toby's expression, and the expressions on Patton and Dee's faces.  
  
Toby's face was pale, and he looked as though he'd seen a ghost (ironic, given the creature that he was staring at).  
  
Dee arched a brow at the sight.  _"You'd think he'd never seen a thestral before. Though why is it...oh, I see, he has a nasty scratch on his arm there."_  
  
_"How do we get it away from him?"_  Patton asked frantically.  
  
_"Aren't you the Care of Magical Creatures expert here?"_  Dee responded bemusedly.  
  
_"Why is it funny? My baby brother is in danger!"_  Dee glared.  
  
_"You're the Care of Magical Creatures expert here. What can you tell me about thestrals?"_  Dee wondered.

 _"They're reptilian horses that one can only see after witnessing death,"_  Patton explained.  _"They pull the Hogwarts carriages and..."_  Patton's eyes widened.  _"They pull the Hogwarts carriages. They wouldn't pull the Hogwarts carriages if they were dangerous to humans. It's only reacting the way it is because Toby drew his wand on it!"_  
  
Patton cupped his hands over his mouth and called out to his brother.  _"Toby! Put your wand down!"_  
  
Toby briefly stared at his older brother in surprise before glancing back at the thestral.  _"But my wand is the only thing keeping it from attacking me!"_  
  
_"No it's not! It's on edge because you're pointing your wand at it! They pull the Hogwarts carriages! They're not going to attack you!"_  
  
_"They?! There are more of these things?!"_  Toby gaped.  
  
_"What do you mean? Of course there are, they pull the carriages..."_  Toby frowned.  
  
It hit Patton like a ton of bricks.  _"This is your first time seeing a thestral, isn't it?"_  
  
Toby eyed the thestral warily.  _"Yes...?"_  
  
Virgil could not blame him for reacting the way that he was; thestrals _probably did_ look scary on first glance!

 _"I can't say they're completely harmless,"_  Patton began,  _"but people aren't their usual prey. In fact, people have been known to ride thestrals before. It's not going to attack you if you don't attack it."_    
  
Toby let out a shaky sigh and let his arm fall back to his side. Dee, on the other hand, pointed to a small animal scurrying around on the forest floor.  _"Diffindo,"_  he muttered.  
  
Slowly, Virgil could swear he heard something approach the bleeding rabbit. He heard a disembodied sniff near the creature, then watched in surprise as something invisible (to him at least) took a bite out of the rabbit.  
  
_"I feel a bit bad for the rabbit, but...didn't want have _nothing_  to offer for our esteemed guest,"_ Dee gestured to the thestral, who was still eating its dinner.  
  
Toby let out a sigh of relief, then glanced to Patton sheepishly. Patton was staring at Toby, his face screwed up into a stern expression. Toby frowned, clearly bracing himself for a lecture.  
  
Instead, Patton's face softened and he opened his arms.  
  
Toby ran up to his older brother and threw his arms around him at once.


	27. Chapter 27

It was a sweet sight, Virgil had to admit.  
  
_"Well this is just too precious to process,"_  Dee murmured with a chuckle, just loud enough for Virgil to hear (but not Patton and Toby).  
  
One corner of Virgil's mouth quirked upward and he nodded.  
  
When Patton and Toby finally pulled away from one another, Patton sighed.  _"Please don't ever do something like this again."_

Toby flinched, eyes downcast.  _"Yes sir."_  
  
Patton frowned at that.  _"Don't say it like that. It's not...I don't want you to get hurt. It's dangerous out here."_  
  
_"You say that like it's not dangerous to be a student at Hogwarts. Just ask August and Adam,"_ Toby commented dryly, glancing over at Dee as he said this.  
  
_"It's..."_  Patton faltered.  
  
_"It's dangerous everywhere,"_  Dee chimed in.  _"But it's even more dangerous when you're by yourself."_  
  
_"So you're saying I should have gone with friends, like you lot did a couple of years ago?"_  Toby shot back with a wry smirk.  
  
_"...always have a comeback, don't you?"_  Dee arched an eyebrow. That said, he wore a smirk of his own, and looked somewhat impressed.  
  
Virgil shuddered at the mention of what happened in the Forbidden Forest years before. He was glad that the conversation took the turn that it did, however, as it reminded Virgil of the importance of getting  _out_  of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
Virgil tugged on the sleeve of his brother's robes to get his attention. Once Dee looked, Virgil pointed in the direction that they came from.  
  
_"Ah yes, we should probably head back to the castle before the smallest of us gets any more bright ideas,"_  Dee drawled, glancing over at Toby.  
  
_"I'm only a few inches shorter than Patton,"_  Toby rolled his eyes, though he and Patton started off after Virgil and Dee nevertheless.  
  
_"And Patton is a couple of inches shorter than Virgil and I,"_  Dee retorted.  _"Thus you are undoubtedly the shortest of us, small fry."_  
  
Toby huffed. Patton cast a worried glance toward his brother, and Toby's face softened.  _"Don't worry, Pat. I'm coming back."_  
  
Relief washed over Patton's features, and Toby rubbed at his arm guiltily.  _"I didn't want you to worry. I just felt like I had to do something."_  
  
_"I know, I feel the same way,"_  Patton admitted.  
  
_"You do?"_  Toby blurted out in surprise.  
  
The older Hufflepuff nodded.  _"I do. There's a lot going on right now, and the wizarding world feels extra dangerous with everything that's going on as of late. It makes you want to act, and you should want to act. You should strive to make the world a better place!"_  
  
_"Then why did you stop me?"_  Toby asked. Virgil wondered the same thing, as Patton's words sounded an awful lot like  _encouragement_.  
  
_"Because you can't just act like that without putting yourself in danger in the process. If you want to fight back, I support that! I want to fight back too! But running off alone into the Forbidden Forest...what if that wasn't a thestral you came across? What if it was something more dangerous, like an acromantula?"_  Patton argued.   
  
_"...point taken,"_  Toby sighed.  
  
_"So can you promise me you won't go running off into the Forbidden Forest like this again?"_  Patton inquired.  
  
Toby grinned sheepishly and slowly nodded.  _"Sure, but only if you promise the same thing."_  
  
_"Who, us? We'd never run into the Forbidden Forest with a singular goal in mind and little regards as to the dangers we might face in the meantime..."_  Dee gasped, then held a hand over his mouth.  _"Oops, I suppose that's what we just did,"_  he added in a mock sheepish tone.  
  
Virgil, Patton, and Toby all snickered in response.  
  
Was it the wisest idea to run out into the Forbidden Forest to fetch Toby on their own? Perhaps not, but they  _found_  Toby and they were headed out. Virgil tried to convince himself of that even as Dee's words sent prickles of unease through him.   
  
_Just keep moving, the faster you move the sooner you'll be out of the forest,_  Virgil told himself mentally, though he was starting to find it more and more difficult to move forward. He didn't understand why; he could move  _just fine_ , but the  _air itself_  felt thicker.   
  
_"Guys? Is it getting foggier?"_  Virgil heard Patton say. He turned to Patton in surprise. It  _wasn't_  just him, then?   
  
_"It's not just foggy. It's also gotten chilly,"_  Toby added with a frown, wrapping his arms around himself as he shivered.  
  
What was perhaps the  _most_  alarming, however, was the sight that greeted Virgil when he glanced in Dee's direction. Dee was glancing around almost frantically, looking more perturbed that Virgil could ever recall seeing him. He held his wand tight within his hand, and looked almost as if he expected something to jump out from behind a tree and attack them at any moment. Virgil cast him a searching look.   
  
_"Wand,"_  Dee hissed, gesturing to Virgil's pocket. Virgil did not need to be told twice - he retrieved his wand from his pocket and gripped it tightly. Dee nodded and continued to glance around.  
  
Virgil turned back in the direction of Patton and Toby, prepared to tell  _them_  to retrieve their wands as well...but they weren't there.  
  
Where did they go?  
  
"Patton? Toby?" he asked in a half-whisper, afraid to talk any louder but wanting Patton and Toby to hear him if they were nearby. He was also well aware that whatever came out of his mouth likely would  _not_  sound like the names of his best friend and his best friend's younger brother. That was beside the point. He just wanted to know that they were there.  
  
...if they were there.  
  
Virgil jumped as he felt a hand slide into his. He glanced back to his side. Dee held Virgil's hand tightly within his.  
  
_What the-_  Virgil thought as the air seemed to grow even more thick. It was so cold and so dark, what on  _Earth_  was happening? Now Virgil understood why Dee was holding his hand; he didn't want to  _lose track_  of Virgil.  
  
Where the hell were Patton and Toby? Why couldn't Virgil find them anywhere? They were  _just next to him_! Where could they have gotten off to? Were they in danger?! It wasn't until Virgil felt Dee's hand tighten even harder around his own that he was aware of just how  _badly_  he was trembling.  
  
What the hell was going on, he hadn't felt  _anywhere near this bad_  a few moments before, and though he was well aware that panic attacks could seemingly come out of nowhere, this was...different. This felt...it felt like...  
  
Despair.  _Hopelessness. They weren't going to get out of this one. It was the end this time._  
  
_"Virgil, stay with me,"_  he heard Dee say, and Virgil focused on his brother's voice as Dee squeezed his hand its tightest yet.  
  
_"Virgil can...you're able to c-cast the P-Patronus Charm, correct?"_  Dee whispered. Though he was clearly  _trying_  to keep his voice steady, Dee wasn't as successful at this endeavor as he might have hoped.  
  
It was still foggy, but Virgil and Dee were close enough that Virgil could see that Dee was looking directly at his face. Virgil managed a firm nod, despite his confusion. What did his ability to cast a Patronus Charm have to do with anything?  
  
Dee let out a shaky sigh. Virgil's blood ran cold at what his older brother said next. _"G-good. Because I think you might need to use it."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many of you have probably guessed what's going on by this point but...yeah. They're not out of the woods yet, both figuratively AND literally


	28. Chapter 28

_I think you may need to use it._  
  
Virgil had an awful,  _awful_  feeling that he knew what Dee meant. What else  _could_  Dee mean?  
  
_"I'd recognize this feeling anywhere. Azkaban...they guard Azkaban,"_  Dee said in a low tone.  
  
Virgil bit down on his lip to keep himself from making a sound. He didn't trust himself  _not_  to do so otherwise, though he wasn't certain that keeping himself silent would even help with... _that_.  
  
He didn't even want to say it's name.  
  
_"Its a dementor. It has to be,"_  Dee said at last.  
  
Exactly what Virgil was afraid Dee would say.  
  
Virgil had no idea where Toby and Patton disappeared to. Had the dementor gotten them already? Wouldn't they have heard something?  
  
Then again...if Virgil listened hard enough, he could hear Patton screaming. His eyes widened in horror, and despite all of his attempts not to, Virgil let out a whimper.  
  
What was he  _doing_? He needed to help Patton and Toby! Yet he couldn't bring himself to move. He curled in on himself, gritting his teeth together. He heard Patton scream again, this time followed by Logan's voice whispering  _Virgil, please_.  
  
_"Virgil, please,"_  Dee's voice echoed. Virgil let out a trembling sigh, only to gasp in horror at what stood before him.  
  
He'd seen artistic renderings in books, but nothing, absolutely  _nothing_  could prepare him for the real thing. The creature, if one could call  _it_  that, stood  _feet_  away from Virgil and Dee.  
  
Stood? No, on closer inspection  _it_  wasn't standing.  _It_  was floating. Virgil could not see  _it's_  face, and Virgil half-wondered if  _it_  even had one. Surely  _it_  had to have a mouth, at the very least.   
  
_It_  was shrouded in a black cloak, towering over Virgil and Dee - neither of whom were  _short_  by any means.  _It_  had to be at least ten feet tall, if not taller.  
  
Dee's hand clenched tightly around Virgil's, and the reality of the situation hit Virgil at once.  
  
Virgil and Dee were standing face to face with a dementor, and Virgil was the  _only one who knew the Patronus Charm_.  
  
It was up to him to save himself and Dee, and possibly Patton and Toby as well. Unless...  
  
No! They were alive! They had to be!  
  
But if they came face to face with  _this_...how could anyone hope to survive  _this_?  
  
No! He couldn't...he wouldn't...he  _had_  to...  
  
_Expecto Patronum!_  he thought with all his might, thrusting his wand out toward the dementor. Instead of the fully formed cheetah that he was hoping for, a silvery whisp came out the end.  
  
_No,_  Virgil's eyes widened in horror.  _Expecto Patronum!_  More silvery whisps.  _Expecto Patronum!_  A single silver strand. Virgil heard his mother crying.  _Expecto Patronum!_  Patton thrashing on the ground, as Virgil's Cruciatus Curse took effect...and absolutely  _nothing_  from his wand.  
  
Virgil dropped to his knees. He heard the dementor's breath  _rattling_  as it moved closer. Virgil feebly lifted his wand.  _Expecto Patronum,_  he thought, even as the darkness felt all encompassing.  _Expecto Patronum,_  as he watched the dementor lean over him.  _Expecto-_  As he realized that  _this_ would be the last sight that he saw, that not only did he fail to save himself but failed to protect those that he cared about...

 _"Expecto Patronum!"_  
  
Suddenly a brilliant light punctuated the darkness. Virgil watched as a radiant silver leopard came bounding for the dementor. The dementor faltered, but did not fall back entirely.  
  
...the falter was all Virgil needed to see, the reminder that  _he could do this_ , the dementor was not infallible,  _they could do this_.  
  
_Expecto Patronum!_  He cast in his mind with all of his might, brandishing his wand in the direction of the vile creature that stood before him. This time, a silver cheetah went to join its felid brother in driving the dementor back.

With the combined power of the two Patronuses, the dementor was successfully defeated, leaving Dee and Virgil standing with their wands outstretched, bathed in the light of their respective Patronuses.  
  
_Their_  respective Patronuses.  
  
Virgil turned to Dee, who was eying the leopard Patronus with a sense of wonder. Virgil cleared his throat to catch Dee's attention. Dee started slightly, but turned his head toward Virgil to see what it was that his brother wanted.  
  
Once Virgil had his brother's attention, he jerked his head in the direction of the leopard and grinned as if to say 'look what you did'.  
  
_"Huh,"_  Dee said, still looking more stunned than prideful. But a grin slowly began to spread across his face.  
  
Virgil and Dee's celebration was cut short, however, as Dee took a closer look at Virgil's features.  
  
_"You're pale,"_  Dee noted.  
  
Virgil arched an eyebrow as if to say 'really?'. He did, however, notice that he felt rather winded. And on closer inspection, Dee wasn't doing so well himself.  
  
_"We need to get back to the castle,"_  Dee announced.  _"We need chocolate."_  
  
Virgil let out a snort. Chocolate? They just fought a dementor and Dee was thinking about food?   
  
Dee wasn't laughing.  _"I know it sounds strange, but chocolate helps. Phillip told me when we were escaping from Azkaban. One of the first things we did was get chocolate."_  
  
Huh. Well, Dee  _would_  know better than Virgil would how to deal with the aftereffects of being around dementors.

Before they could tackle  _that_ , however, they needed to find Patton and Toby. Virgil yanked Dee's arm as he started off in the direction he'd last seen Patton and Toby.  
  
Dee jerked away from him, looking at him with an arched eyebrow.  _"I wasn't aware that the castle was located deeper within the Forbidden Forest. Or is there a secret chocolate tree in the forest that I don't know about?"_  
  
Virgil glared. He didn't have time for this! He pulled his notebook and paper from his pocket and quickly jotted down two names.  
  
_Patton and Toby._  
  
Virgil would not deny that he felt the slightest bit of satisfaction when Dee actually looked  _sheepish_  upon reading this.  _"Ah, yes. Carry on then."_  
  
Sticking close to one another, Virgil and Dee set off deeper into the forest.

As it turned out, they didn't have far to go. _"Adam! Virgil! There you two are, where did you get off to?"_

Patton. He and Toby were safe. Virgil let out a massive sigh of relief.


	29. Chapter 29

_"Adam! Virgil! There you two are, where did you get off to?"_  Virgil heard Patton call out after he and Dee walked for a few moments. Thankfully they didn't have to get too much deeper into the forest, though it was far enough away that it was easy to see how the group got separated, especially in the thick blanket of fog that coated the forest prior to Virgil and Dee driving the dementor away. The end of Patton's wand was lit, and Virgil had to squint under its light.  _"Are you guys alright?"_  
  
 _"Oh, no need to worry about us. We're just peachy,"_  Dee responded in a sarcastic tone.  
  
 _"You don't look it,"_  Toby observed.   
  
 _"...thanks, you really know how to flatter a guy,"_  Dee retorted with a roll of his eyes. Virgil let out a snort.  
  
 _"Let's get the hell out of here,"_  Toby said with a sigh.  _"I've had more than enough of this forest for the day. You win Pat, I've learned my lesson."_  
  
 _"You've had more that enough? We entered this forest because of you,"_ Dee folded his arms across his chest. Toby at least had the sense to look sheepish after that. It was hard to hold it against the third year  _too_  badly, though, as Toby had no way of knowing what they would come across in the forest.  
  
...hence why he should have  _never_  gone into the forest in the first place. Virgil could only hope that the lesson would stick this time around, as he didn't exactly follow their advice the first time.  
  
 _"What happened to you two?"_ Patton eyed them worriedly, as if looking them over for any sign of injury.  _"It got really foggy all of a sudden and we couldn't find you anywhere!"  
  
"Oh, it got foggy? Is that all?" _Dee arched a brow.  _"Consider yourselves lucky."  
  
"Well...that's not the only thing that happened,"_ Patton admitted.  _"I felt...sad all of a sudden. Like a dark cloud descended over me. Like...like all the happiness was being drained out of me."  
  
_ Toby clenched his hands into fists and stared at the ground. Virgil could tell that Toby felt  _something_  as well, but judging from the way he avoided eye contact with anyone, he was determined not to talk about it.  
  
And Virgil could respect that, thus he did not draw attention to it.  
  
 _"It's interesting that you use that analogy,"_ Dee noted.  
  
 _"It is?"_  Patton blinked in confusion.  
  
Dee nodded.  _"Haven't you heard that dementors are known for feasting upon happy thoughts, or are your grades in Defense Against the Dark Arts more dismal than I thought?"  
  
"He's doing fine in Defense Against the Dark Arts!"_ Toby hissed back, focused on defending his older brother.  
  
Patton, however, went pale as the full weight of Dee's words descended upon him.  _"Did...did you say dementors?"  
_  
 _"Really?"_  Dee looked incredulous.  _"You didn't figure it out before now?"  
_  
 _"But I...I didn't see any dementors,"_  Patton stammered.  
  
 _"Aren't you lucky?"_  Dee retorted.  
  
 _"Wait...do you mean you two did? You...oh Merlin!"_  Patton's eyes were wide.  _"No wonder you two look so tired! Are you alright?"  
  
_ Dee let out a snort.  _"Like I said, just peachy."  
_  
 _"But...how? How did you..."_ Patton faltered at that, clearly unsure of what to say next.  _"What was it even doing here?"_  
  
 _"Whoa. There are dementors in the Forbidden Forest? I never read that,"_  Toby gaped.   
  
 _"That's because they're usually not in the Forbidden Forest. They shouldn't be on Hogwarts Grounds at all!"_  Patton frowned.  
  
...then why  _was_  there one in the Forbidden Forest? Virgil knew that dementors didn't belong in the Forbidden Forest - they never had to worry about dementors the  _last_  time they visited the Forbidden Forest, after all (imagine  _that_  on top of everything else they had to put up with at the end of their fifth year!) - but what made things different now?  
  
 _"Maybe there's an escaped convict at Hogwarts?"_  Toby suggested.  
  
Dee flinched almost imperceptibly. Virgil was the only one who noticed, and he too felt himself tense up. He tried his best to play it off by rolling his shoulders.  
  
 _"Of course there isn't an escaped convict at Hogwarts! What would give you that idea?"_  Patton chuckled, trying to play off Toby's suggestion as patently absurd.  
  
Unfortunately, he wasn't doing a great job of this, judging from Toby's arched eyebrow.  _"You know, I really doubt that's the case? I don't think you have to worry too much about that, Pat."_  
  
Virgil let out a sigh of relief. Toby seemed to have attributed Patton's strange behavior to  _fear_  over the prospect of an escaped convict being on Hogwarts Grounds rather than the truth, that Patton  _knew_  that there was an escaped convict at Hogwarts and was actively involved in the cover-up.  
  
...Merlin, were they ever  _not_  in completely over their heads?

But that wasn't what was important at the moment. They still needed to get out of the Forbidden Forest before they could tackle anything else.  
  
Virgil cleared his throat. The other three glanced in his direction at once, much to his relief. He held his wand flat within his hand and thought  _Point Me_. His wand, as he hoped, reoriented within his hand so that it was facing north.   
  
 _"Is that the Four Point Spell?"_  Toby's eyes widened.  
  
 _"Still not gonna teach you,"_  Dee responded.  
  
Toby glanced over his shoulder to make sure that Patton wasn't looking, then cursed under his breath.  
  
Patton heard anyway.  
  
 _"Toby! Did I just hear you say what I think I just heard you say?"_ Patton asked in a stern tone. Toby sighed.  
  
Virgil and Dee exchanged glances, the corners of both of their mouths twitching upward.   
  
The spell did its job. Virgil now knew which direction was north, which gave them an idea of where they were located. The Forbidden Forest was located on the eastern edge of the Hogwarts Grounds. That meant that no matter  _where_  they were in the forest, as long as they headed west they would find their way out of the forest.


	30. Chapter 30

Virgil didn't think that he and Dee needed to go to the Hospital Wing. Patton thought differently. Virgil and Dee acquiesced, just to appease Patton.   
  
Now Virgil, Dee, Toby, and Patton sat in the Hospital Wing, waiting for Madam Foster to return.  
  
 _"Poor Madam Foster, she must have a hard time balancing everything that she needs to do today, between us and everyone else in this Hospital Wing,"_  Dee remarked as he peered around the room.  
  
Virgil let out a snort. Other than Virgil, Patton, Dee, and Toby, there was only one other student in the Hospital Wing. A girl with her face covered in red and throbbing  _boils_. Virgil could only assume it was from a curse or hex of some sort. The girl would undoubtedly be fine once the swelling was down, but the fact that Virgil could make out her ailment across the room meant that she was in quite a rough way for the time being at least.  
  
That said, he didn't want to stare and make the poor girl uncomfortable, so he turned his attention back to the others.  
  
 _Told you we were fine,_  Virgil wrote to Patton.  
  
 _"But you're not. You're still both pale, and you're still drenched in sweat!"_  Patton protested.  
  
 _"You can argue with them till you're blue in the face but I don't think they're gonna budge. They're too stubborn,"_  Toby noted.  
  
 _"Takes one to know one,"_  Dee retorted.  
  
 _"...touche,"_  Toby admitted.  
  
 _"I'm back!"_  Madam Foster announced, carrying a small bag. She opened said bag and handed a bar of chocolate to all four people present.  
  
 _"But we're not the ones who fought the dementor!"_  Patton pointed out.  
  
Toby shot him an incredulous look.  _"Pat, when someone offers you free chocolate, you don't turn it down!"_  
  
 _"Unless you have a chocolate allergy of some sort, then I would suggest avoiding chocolate,"_  Madam Foster chimed in with a chuckle.  _"Besides, from what you described you were close enough to feel some of the dementor's effects. I also didn't want to leave you out while your friends were eating chocolate,"_ Madam Foster admitted fairly.  
  
 _"Does chocolate really do anything against dementors?"_  Toby asked skeptically.  
  
 _"Are you asking if chocolate can reverse the effects of a dementor attack or prevent one from occurring? Of course not. Chocolate is no Patronus Charm. It is merely a delicious way to help one raise their spirits and replenish their energy,"_  Madam Foster explained.  _"And as you yourself said earlier,"_  she smiled,  _"when someone is offering you free chocolate, why turn it down?"_  
  
Toby shrugged, unwrapping his chocolate bar and taking a bite from it.

Virgil had to admit that the promise of chocolate made him feel marginally better. It wasn't a cure by any means, but it did help to raise his spirits, sitting here eating chocolate with his brother and friends. He was a couple of bites into his own chocolate bar when Madam Foster spoke once more.  
  
 _"See? Now if you'll excuse me, I know someone else who could probably use a chocolate bar."_  Virgil watched as Madam Foster made her way across the room, stopping at the bedside of the girl whose face was covered in boils that Virgil observed earlier.  
  
 _"Is the school going to be attacked again?"_  Toby asked suddenly.  
  
Virgil, Patton, and Dee turned to him in surprise.  
  
 _"Of course not! What would give you that idea?"_  Patton wondered.  
  
 _"The dementor,"_  Toby replied.  _"You said it yourself, dementors aren't supposed to be on school grounds. Yet this one was for some reason."_  
  
 _"Maybe it got lost on it's way to Azkaban?"_  Patton tried feebly to reassure his younger brother.  
  
Toby blew a stray piece of hair out of his face and let out a frustrated sigh.  _"Don't patronize me, please. I'm not a little kid anymore. I can tell something's wrong. You guys are worried too."_  
  
...busted.  
  
 _"I...am worried,"_  Patton admitted.  _"We don't know how that dementor got on the grounds, but it's not supposed to be here. I'm sure the Headmistress didn't authorize it."_  
  
 _"Then how did it get here? Unless it was just passing through on it's way to Azkaban like you said earlier,"_  Dee replied in a sardonic tone.  
  
 _"You guys said the Headmistress didn't authorize it...does the Headmistress really need to authorize it? It's a dementor. I thought they kinda just did what they wanted to,"_  Toby pointed out.  
  
...Virgil didn't want to admit it, but Toby had a valid point. The Headmistress might have forbade any dementors from entering Hogwarts grounds, but dementors weren't bound by human laws. The dementors at Azkaban likely only remained there because Azkaban provided a steady source of food that wasn't going to fight back.  
  
If a dementor happened by Hogwarts, why  _wouldn't_  it stop by to check in? What better place to feast on happy memories and emotions than at a place  _packed_  with people?  
  
 _"Are we going to get in trouble for going into the Forbidden Forest?"_  Toby wondered.  
  
 _"Probably,"_  Patton admitted.  _"But the important thing is that we got out of there. What's a few day's detention as long as I know you're safe?"_  Patton pulled his younger brother closer to him, giving him a bear hug.   
  
Toby glanced around, as if to make certain that none of his friends or classmates were around to see this and make fun of him for it later...then returned the hug.  
  
 _"So how'd you get rid of the dementor?"_  Toby asked eagerly when he and Patton pulled away from one another.  _"Can you either of you cast the Patronus Charm? Can you show me?"_  
  
Of  _course_  Toby wanted them to show him.  
  
 _"We don't have any plans to teach you the spell yet, so don't go getting any bright ideas,"_  Dee arched a brow, folding his arms across his chest as if that would accentuate his point that this was non-negotiable.  
  
Toby let out a sigh, shaking his head.  _"I won't. Sheesh, you try to run away from school one time and they won't let you live it down."_


	31. Chapter 31

Soon their friends knew what happened, and Virgil had to brace himself for even more questions.  
  
 _"I must have misheard what Patton described to me earlier. He seemed to be laboring under the impression that you and your brother fought a dementor!"_  Logan asked Virgil when they met up to study together.   
  
Virgil's face must have said it all, as Logan's eyes went almost comically wide.  _"You are alright, of course? Your soul is still intact?"_  
  
Virgil let out a snort.  _Unfortunately yes,_  he wrote back in response.  
  
Logan arched an eyebrow at that, but deigned to further comment on Virgil's attempt at dark humor. Perhaps he thought that doing so would only encourage Virgil.   
  
(Admittedly he wasn't wrong, exactly...)

 _"Were they as...disconcerting as my readings depicted?"_  Logan wondered.  
  
 _'Disconcerting' is the understatement of the century,_  Virgil wrote in reply.  
  
 _"You were able to successfully cast a Patronus Charm in the presence of a dementor, though, which is impressive,"_  Logan noted.  
  
 _Wasn't easy,_  Virgil admitted.  _Wasn't able to cast my cheetah until Dee cast his._  
  
 _"I have heard that there something to be said for numerous Patronuses used in the combat of - let me pause and track back for just a moment. Did you just say that your brother cast his Patronus?"_  
  
Logan looked so stunned that Virgil could not help but snicker as he nodded.  
  
 _"Was this...was this his first time successfully casting a corporeal Patronus?"_  Logan pressed on.  
  
 _Pretty sure,_  Virgil scribbled in response.  
  
 _"Huh. If you do not mind me asking, what creature did his Patronus adopt the form of?"_  Logan inquired.  
  
 _Leopard,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
 _"A large felid? Your mother's Patronus is a lioness, correct?"_ Logan stroked his chin.   
  
Virgil nodded.  
  
 _"And yours is a cheetah. I suppose it stands to reason that Dee would follow that theme, though I must admit that I was suspecting some variety of serpent. One's Patronus often matches one's Animagus form, though this is not always the case, as you see with your brother,"_  Logan explained.   
  
 _Is there a chance his Patronus might have been a snake if he attempted to cast the spell when he was still involved with Linus?_  Virgil wondered.  
  
 _"There is a possibility. One's Patronus can change as the result of a major upheaval in one's life, and the shift in allegiance may have triggered such a change,"_  Logan considered.

Logan furrowed his brow in concentration.  _"That is of course assuming that he would have possessed the ability to cast the Patronus charm prior to his reformation, so to speak. Given his struggles with the charm even after, I suspect he would not have been able to cast one whilst he was still working with your father."_  
  
Dee  _did_  cast one, though, and that had to mean something.  
  
 _Does that mean we have definitive proof that Dee turned over a new leaf?_  Virgil wondered.  
  
Logan arched a brow at that.  _"No."_  
  
Virgil blinked in confusion. But Logan said...  
  
 _"I believe that Dee showed definitive proof that he 'turned over a new leaf', as you called it, when he rescued Patton and August from the Fiendfyre,"_  Logan elaborated.  
  
Shame crashed over Virgil like a wave. He didn't  _need_  the Patronus Charm as proof that his brother changed, his brother's actions proved that a long time ago. And wasn't it he himself who told Dee that actions spoke louder than words?

He  _did_  trust Dee, he really did. It was just...hard not to fall on old habits sometimes. That didn't make it right though, and Virgil was glad that Logan called him out on it.  
  
Logan wasn't the only one impressed at the news that not only had Dee managed to cast a Patronus, but that Virgil and Dee were able to cast Patronuses successfully in the presence of a dementor.  
  
 _"Brilliant! Casting a corporeal Patronus is one thing, but doing so in the presence of a dementor? Congratulations to you both on your mastery of the Patronus Charm!"_  Professor Goodwin told them when she found out.  
  
 _"I feel we should give credit where it's due - we couldn't have possibly done it without your tutelage, professor,"_  Dee replied.  
  
 _"Nonsense! You two have come a long way, and can't possibly take credit for all of that!"_  Nevertheless, her face did turn red at the compliment, and she left Virgil and Dee looking rather pleased with herself.  
  
Virgil looked to his brother with an arched brow.  
  
 _"What? It wasn't a lie. It just...wasn't the whole truth either,"_  Dee responded with a smirk.  
  
Virgil did have to hand it to his brother - He knew how to butter up a professor.  
  
It wasn't that Professor Goodwin was a bad professor by any means. Virgil actually quite liked her as a professor (due at least in part to the fact that she taught his favorite class). That said, there was only so much time one professor could devote to students one on one in such a large school. Thus, Logan's tutelage was just as integral as Professor Goodwin's, if not more, simply because Logan had more time to  _devote_  to it.

Not all news concerning Virgil and Dee's fight with the dementor was good news, however. Virgil discovered that much for himself one day, when he was called to Professor Foley's office. As soon as he walked into the room and saw Toby, Patton, and Dee waiting inside, Virgil  _knew_  what it was about.  
  
 _"Are we in trouble?"_  Toby wondered.  
  
 _"Trouble? You did enter the Forbidden Forest without permission which, as the name would suggest, is forbidden...but no, you're not in trouble,"_  Professor Foley assured them.  
  
Color Virgil surprised. They weren't in trouble for what they did?  
  
 _"Do not misunderstand me - I do not condone what you did. That said, I believe your experience with the dementor was punishment enough on it's own,"_  Professor Foley noted.  _"No...I called you here because we would like to know what happened. The staff and the Ministry would like to know how a dementor made it's way onto Hogwarts grounds in the first place..."_


	32. Chapter 32

The staff and the Ministry got their information. Virgil doubted that it would do much. It felt an awful lot like the Ministry wanted to  _pretend_  that it had everything in control with the dementors when they plainly did not. How  _could_  one control dementors? The only reason the dementors 'worked' for the Ministry was that the Ministry provided them sustenance through the inmates at Azkaban.  
  
Honestly, seeing his brother's face when Dee recognized what they were up against told Virgil enough on it's own. Dementors seemed too horrible even for  _Azkaban_.

Granted, some of the inmates in Azkaban were in there for some pretty terrible things, and that made it hard to feel bad for them, but...at the same time, Azkaban wasn't just imprisonment. Leaving inmates in the hands of dementors? That was torture. 

The interrogation (for that was what it felt like) seemed particularly brutal when Professor Foley asked if there was anything in particular that might have  _attracted_  the dementor to their area, and to them in specific. Patton and Toby were in the Forbidden Forest as well, after all, and the dementor did not pursue  _them_.  
  
Virgil felt a mixture of emotions. There were nerves, of course - what if the dementor  _was_ attracted by Dee, who was admittedly a wanted Azkaban escapee in disguise - but mostly he was angry. Were dementors even capable of going after specific targets? This sounded an awful lot like they were trying to blame Virgil and Dee for what happened, like they were trying to put the blame on  _someone else_  rather than admit that they were using dangerous and difficult to control creatures as  _prison guards_.  
  
_"I assure you that we have no idea how the dementor might have gotten here,"_  Dee assured Professor Foley, staring him directly in the eye. It was only Virgil that noticed that Dee had his fingers crossed as he said this.  
  
Virgil wasn't sure what to make of this action.

Inevitably, word got out to the rest of the school about what occurred in the Forbidden Forest. There were a wide variety of reactions. Some students expressed distaste that Virgil, Patton, Dee, and Toby were even  _in_  the Forbidden Forest in the first place.  
  
_"I mean what do you expect, going into a forest with the word 'forbidden' in its name?"_  Virgil overheard a girl saying to her friend.  
  
_"Its dangerous,"_  her friend agreed.  _"But dementors aren't supposed to be there."_  
  
Between the Fiendfyre attacks and the encounter with the dementor in the Forbidden Forest, people were starting to get uneasy.  
  
_"I mean really, that's two dangerous attacks within a few months. How safe is this school, really?"_ was another one that Virgil overheard.  
  
Virgil found it a tad amusing that one of his classmates was asking this at a school where students flew around on broomsticks several feet in the area and dodged items specifically designed to  _hurt_ them for sport (why were bludgers even a thing?), but...he also had a point, of course.  
  
Things at Hogwarts were  _always_  dangerous, but this was taking it to a new level. They weren't even allowed to go to Hogsmeade anymore!  
  
It also brought out the worst in some people.  
  
_"This would never have happened if Mudbloods weren't allowed at Hogwarts,"_  Virgil would swear that he overheard in the hall, but when he turned to see who said it he could not determine who it was.  
  
It was stupid, and it made no sense, but Virgil supposed that people like his father were so desperate to prove that they were right in their beliefs that Muggles and Muggleborns were inferior that they could warp  _anything_  to support their view, despite blatant evidence to the contrary.  
  
Virgil and Dee received their fair share of questions regarding their confrontation with the dementor once their peers learned of the incident.  
  
Virgil found himself wishing that he had an invisibility cloak that he could throw around himself while walking through the halls. It was nice to have  _good_  attention for once, but it was still  _attention_.  
  
He'd taken to throwing the hood of his Slytherin robes up over his head at any rate, and this did cut down on  _some_  of the people approaching him. That only worked so much in class, however, where Virgil couldn't exactly get away with throwing up his hood for the entire class period.

 _"My father wonders if they'll close Hogwarts,"_  Chelsea admitted when the group got together one evening.  
  
_"...close Hogwarts? Why would they close Hogwarts?"_  Patton gasped.  
  
_"Couldn't possibly be due to the Fiendfyre and dementor attacks, could it?"_  Dee raised an eyebrow as if to say 'really?'.  
  
Astrit let out a snort.  _"So cursed objects,"_  Dee winced at that,  _"multiple kidnappings, and venomous snake bites bad enough to send people to St. Mungo's wasn't enough?"_  
  
_"...when you put it that way, I'm glad our graduation is coming soon,"_  Roman made a face.  
  
_"Lucky you,"_  Astrit retorted.  
  
_"Then again, who knows? Maybe all the trouble will disappear once we graduate,"_ Era suggested with a wry grin.  
  
_"Doubtful. The school will still have me,"_  Astrit responded with a wry grin.  _"I'm just as much a magnet for trouble as you guys are, if not more."_  
  
_"Still...closing the school? What happens if they do that?"_  Patton wondered.   
  
_People will send their kids to different schools?_  Virgil suggested.   
  
_"A valid option, but not a feasible one for every student at Hogwarts,"_  Logan noted.

They wouldn't go so far as to close the school after this...would they? Astrit was right; they didnt close it for  _anything else_  that happened over the last few years, why would they close it over a dementor? What's more, why would a  _dementor_  be the last straw, not the Fiendfyre attacks?  
  
The group went their separate ways after this discussion. Virgil and Dee headed back to the dungeons, Logan accompanying them as he wished to borrow the book that Virgil and Dee were using to try to determine the counterspell to Fiendfyre - the one that Dee  _nabbed_  from Linus.  
  
They didn't make it that far.  
  
Professor Picani intercepted the trio and then navigated them into his office.

 


	33. Chapter 33

Virgil looked to Professor Picani in confusion. Once Professor Picani closed the door to his office, he motioned for Virgil, Logan, and Dee to take seats. Once they did so, Professor Picani pointed his wand at the door, muttering  _"Muffliato!"_  He then turned his attention back to the trio.  _"How are the three of you doing?"_  
  
Virgil blinked in surprise.  _That_  was how Professor Picani was going to start the conversation? He looked to Logan, who looked similarly confused.   
  
 _"We're managing as well as we can, thank you,"_  Dee replied.  
  
 _"Thaaaaaaaaat sounds suspiciously like a lie,"_  Professor Picani responded. With a wave of his wand, three chocolate bars soared over from his desk. He caught all three of them in his hand and presented one each to Virgil, Dee, and Logan.  
  
Virgil accepted his, though he remained puzzled as to what was even happening.  
  
 _"Is this because of the dementor? They already gave us chocolate at the Hospital Wing. We're fine now,"_  Dee informed him, taking the chocolate from Professor Picani but making no moves to open it.  
  
 _"Alas, chocolate can only do so much,"_  Professor Picani sighed.   
  
Virgil opened the chocolate and took a bite out of it.  
  
 _"Why have you brought us here, Professor Picani?"_  Logan asked.  
  
 _"A couple of reasons. One, I wanted to inform you that the Ministry and the school have spoken with me concerning your encounter with the dementor. As you know, I am Adam Aceti's guardian, and that means that they had a few questions for me,"_  Professor Picani told them.  _"The interview went well enough."_  
  
 _"They didn't suspect anything?"_  Dee blurted out. Virgil glanced to his brother in surprise.   
  
Professor Picani was taken aback as well.  _"Suspect anything?"_  
  
 _"About me,"_  Dee replied.  
  
 _"Of course not!"_  Professor Picani assured him.  _"Why...oh, I see."_  Professor Picani furrowed his brow at Dee.  _"Lionel, none of this is your fault."_  
  
Of course it wasn't Dee's fault! Why was Professor Picani stating it like there was any question about it?   
  
One look at Dee answered Virgil's question almost immediately. Dee was staring downward at the floor.  _"Of course. It's not like there was a fugitive from Azkaban in that forest."_  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched.  _The dementor wasn't after you,_  he hurried wrote, showing the note to Dee. With another lurch, Virgil realized that  _this_  was why Dee crossed his fingers during the meeting with Professor Foley - in Dee's eyes, they  _were_  lying about having no idea why the dementor was in the Forbidden Forest, because Dee blamed himself for the dementor's presence.  
  
Professor Picani was right - there  _was_  a lot more to this than met the eye.  
  
Dee shrugged.  _"Do we have any way of knowing that?"_  
  
 _"Dee has a point,"_  Logan spoke up. Virgil glanced to his boyfriend in shock.  _"Dementors guard Azkaban, and he was indeed an inmate at Azkaban at one point. That being said, from what wizardkind knows of dementors, there is nothing to suggest that this dementor in particular sought out Dee because of his status."_  
  
 _"How do you figure?"_  Dee arched a brow.   
  
 _"Dementors do not discriminate,"_  Logan declared with such certainty it was as if he'd announced that grass was green.  
  
 _"Exactly!"_  Professor Picani chimed in once again, causing Virgil to jump. He was so captivated by the exchange between Dee and Logan that he nearly forgot that Professor Picani was even a part of the conversation.  
  
 _"I'm not sure that I follow,"_  Dee replied. Virgil had to agree. Not that he  _blamed_  his brother by any means, but he didn't understand how the nondiscriminatory nature of dementors factored into this discussion.  
  
 _"By operating under the assumption that this dementor sought Dee in particular owing to his true identity as an Azkaban escapee is assigning human characteristics to a creature that is incapable of making such distinctions,"_  Logan explained.  _"Dementors do not care the identity of their victims. Wizardkind operates under the assumption that so long as dementors guard Azkaban, we have those dementors under our control. This is an assumption that is foolish at best and dangerous at worst. One might regard the situation at Azkaban as a symbiotic relationship of sorts. Wizardkind - specifically the Ministry - benefits in that the presence of dementors at Azkaban allows them to operate a prison very difficult for one to escape. It benefits the dementors in that it allows them a steady source of food. But make no mistake - dementors do not work for the Ministry. They care not who resides within the walls of Azkaban, whether it be an innocent soul or one of the worst dark wizards of our time. They see in us only sustenance.They do not discern the identity of Azkaban escapees; they merely recognize that they have one less meal opportunity than they did before."_  
  
Logan's words were...sobering, to say the least. 

 _"So you see, the dementor was not there because of you, Lionel. It was simply a rogue dementor looking for a meal, and you were the first people it came across,"_  Professor Picani assured Dee.  
  
Dee opened his mouth as if he were about to say something in response to this statement, but then closed his mouth again. He was at a loss for words.   
  
 _It's not your fault, Dee,_  Virgil wrote, passing the paper to his brother.   
  
Dee glanced down at the sheet in his hands. The corners of his mouth slowly twitched upward.  _"I..."_  He looked to Professor Picani, Virgil, and Logan.  _"Thank you."_  
  
Virgil and Professor Picani offered him warm smiles in return. Even Logan managed a comforting smile of his own.  
  
Of course, a happy moment like  _that_  couldn't just...happen, could it?  
  
Something had to interrupt it. A tapping at the door, to be exact. Professor Picani frowned, then pulled the door open. Professor Foley stood in the doorway.  
  
Virgil's stomach lurched, recalling what happened the  _last_  time Professor Foley turned up. They  _just_  reassured Dee that he had nothing to do with what happened. Would this undo all of that?  
  
Virgil  _certainly_  didn't expect Professor Foley's neutral features to morph into a smile, a smile that  _grew_  once he lay his eyes on Virgil, Adam, and Logan.  
  
 _"Oh, have you already heard?"_  Professor Foley wondered.  
  
 _"Heard what?"_  Professor Picani furrowed his brow in confusion.  
  
 _"Renilda is at St. Mungo's. She's having the baby!"_


	34. Chapter 34

Coming soonVirgil wasn't expecting this to happen so soon.  
  
He  _was_  expecting it, of course, but in light of everything else that happened as of late, he hadn't had much time to psych himself out for the fact that his baby sister would be born soon.  
  
 _His baby sister._  
  
Upon their arrival, Virgil, Dee, Logan, and Professor Picani made their way to the Welcome Witch, who told them where to go.  
  
Professor Picani set off for Renilda's room at once. Virgil, Logan, and Dee, however, found seats in a lobby not far from the ward that Renilda was on.

Virgil was both excited and terrified. Excited at the prospect of meeting his little sister, terrified because...what if something went wrong? Why did his mind  _have_  to do this to him? Even now, during a monumentally joyous occasion, his mind saw fit to nitpick at every detail of what could possibly go wrong. Things were going to  _change_  after all, and Virgil knew all too well that change wasn't always for the better.  
  
Then his gaze fell upon Dee, who was currently engaged in a conversation with Logan. He could not help it; the corners of his mouth curved upward at the sight, a sight that would have been impossible to fathom just a few short years before.  
  
Change wasn't always for the  _worst_  either. Befriending Patton, Logan, Roman, Era, Astrit, Paige, Elliott, Shane, and Chelsea was a marked change from his first few years at Hogwarts, but Virgil's friends were undoubtedly one of the best things that happened to him. He shuddered to think of how dark his life would be without their light.  
  
What if Linus altered his memories and he was still 'friends' with Dee and his friends at Hogwarts? There would be no one to bring Virgil back from the brink, no  _reason_  for Virgil to fight back. No reason for anyone to even  _question_  Virgil's sudden change in behavior, as it could easily be attributed to Virgil simply deciding to fully embrace what his father stood for - as everyone always expected him to do, before his friends helped him to realize that there was another way.  
  
Virgil may have forever been lost within himself, but that  _didn't happen_ , because Virgil allowed himself to open up to his friends, and his friends chose to embrace him, and his life grew  _so_  much better as a result.  
  
Change led Renilda to divorce Linus, the best choice she could have made for not only her sons but for  _herself_. Not only did her sons flourish once they got away from her father, but so did Renilda. Renilda was a shell of herself as long as she remained with Linus, forced to keep her mouth shut when she wanted to scream, forced to live a life that she knew that her  _family_  would approve of, until it all became too much to ignore.  
  
Change also brought Dee to their side. Dee made the conscious decision to atone for his prior actions and befriend Virgil and  _his_  friends. Had things not changed in  _that_  regard, they would have never found out just how good Dee could be. Dee would never have discovered this for himself. August and Patton might have  _died_  in the Fiendfyre attacks, had Dee not been there to risk his own life to save them.  
  
Change wasn't always a bad thing. Sometimes change could be  _wonderful_.  
  
 _"Virgil? Anybody home?"_  Virgil's attention jerked back to his boyfriend and his brother when he felt Dee knocking lightly on his head. Virgil responded with a light hiss, then noticed a Healer standing nearby, looking at him with a confused expression. He immediately felt his face heat up, and could only imagine how red his face was at that moment.  
  
 _"Virgil Thompson, son of Renilda Nyx? And Adam Aceti, nephew of Emile Picani?"_  she asked.   
  
 _"Your little sister has arrived. I can take you to the room,"_  she smiled. Virgil, Dee, and Logan rose to their feet. The healer frowned at once.  _"Oh, I'm sorry, only family is permitted at this time."_  
  
Logan went to sit down, at which point Dee let out a huff.  _"He is family."_  
  
Logan looked taken aback at this outburst, as well as Dee's  _forcefulness_  in this particular lie.  _"It's quite alright, I can wait out here-"_  
  
 _"No,"_  Dee insisted.  _"You are Virgil's fiance, after all. You have just as much right to see your future sister in law as we do to see our baby sister."_  
  
Logan was so surprised by this that he did not think to argue, and merely rose to his feet, joining Virgil and Dee as they waited for instructions from the Healer.  _"Very well then. You three can follow me."_  
  
 _"Fiance? Virgil and I are not engaged,"_  Logan whispered to Dee once the Healer was far enough out of earshot that she could not here. Virgil, who was between the Healer and the other two,  _could_.   
  
Dee let out a chuckle.  _"So I lied. You act like that's a new thing from me. Besides, that was the only part of what I said that was a lie. You are family, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."_  
  
Logan cleared his throat.  _"I...well..."_  Virgil was looking forward, but he could practically  _see_  the flustered expression on Logan's face, and it caused him to snicker.  
  
 _"Besides, it will only be a lie until the two of you actually get engaged,"_  Dee taunted.  
  
This time Logan wasn't the only one who was flustered.  
  
Fortunately, they arrived at Renilda's room before Dee could tease them any further. Stepping inside, they saw Professor Picani seated in a chair next to the bed, gazing upon Renilda and his newborn daughter with adoring eyes. Renilda shot her two older children and Logan a warm smile as she held the newest addition to their family in her arms.  
  
 _"Meet Renata Amelia Picani. We wanted a bright, uplifting name, and Renata means 'reborn',"_  Renilda explained.  _"Would any of you like to hold her?"_  
  
Renata.  _Reborn._  No, change wasn't always a bad thing. Sometimes it was one of the best things that could happen to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the way this chapter turned out?


	35. Chapter 35

So...I commissioned from the lovely @[ellistruggle](https://ellistruggle.tumblr.com/), whose art I have admired for a long time. I actually commissioned this today and she finished it for me today, so super quick turn around. This is of Virgil and his boggart (and if you like...you can also imagine his boggart as himself during A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, because I imagine boggart!Virgil and THAT Virgil are pretty similar). I hope you guys enjoy it!

 


	36. Chapter 36

Virgil needed time to take in the scene before he could offer any sort of reaction.  
  
His mother looked tired yet pleased. The baby in her arms -  _Renata_  - lay with her eyes closed, head resting gently against her mother's chest. Atop her head were a few tufts of hair, light brown in color.   
  
It was Dee who stepped forward first.  _"May I?"_  Dee wondered.  _"Unless you have not?"_  he added as he glanced toward Professor Picani.  
  
_"I held her shortly after she was delivered,"_  Professor Picani responded with a smile.  _"You're her older brother, you have just as much right to hold her as I do,"_  Professor Picani added after making certain that the Healer left the room.  
  
Dee nodded. Renilda held out her daughter, and Dee carefully pulled Renata into his arms. Virgil found himself gripped by a sudden urge to shout a warning to Dee to make certain that Dee supported Renata's neck properly, but it appeared that he'd already gotten the memo. Dee smiled warmly down at Renata, who opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She then let out a tiny yawn.  
  
Dee was rendered utterly speechless.  
  
_"Well this is just too precious to process,"_  Logan admitted. Virgil reached over and squeezed Logan's hand, shooting him a smile.  
  
Dee held Renata for several moments. He eventually found his voice once more, though he seemed more invested in making cooing noises at Renata than actually carrying out a full blown conversation. Were it not such a sweet moment, Virgil would be tempted to capture it for blackmail purposes...

 _"Do you want to hold her?"_  Virgil blinked at his mother's question in surprise. Dee moved to hold Renata out for Virgil to hold her.  
  
Virgil froze. He wanted to, but he was worried that something would go wrong. What if she started crying as soon as she was passed into his arms? What if he didn't hold her right and ended up hurting her?   
  
Nevertheless, he  _did_  want to hold her. He held up his finger to Dee to convey that he wanted his brother to wait a moment, then took a seat in a chair. He would feel more comfortable holding his sister for the first time if he was seated while doing so. Once he was seated, Virgil waved Dee over.  
  
Dee handed Renata to Virgil, and Virgil...  
  
Virgil gazed down at his baby sister. She began to whine a little, moving in his lap, and Virgil could feel panic beginning to well up. She didn't like him,  _she didn't like him_...  
  
Then she stopped fussing, presumably having gotten into a more comfortable position.  
  
Virgil made sure that her neck was supported, recalling what Patton said about how babies could not support their own necks and wanting to make certain that little Renata was safe. She couldn't look out for herself right now, so they'd have to look out for  _her_.  
  
And Virgil was up to the task. He would do everything that he could to make sure that Renata was safe and sound in this scary new world she found herself in.  
  
_"Renata. That is Italian, is it not?"_  Logan wondered.  
  
Professor Picani nodded.  _"I have Italian roots. Renata was my great aunt's name. That was not the only reason we chose it, however."_  Professor Picani looked to Renilda with a grin.  
  
_"You chose it because it sounded similar to Renilda, didn't you?"_ Dee smirked.  
  
_"That may have played a part in it,"_  Professor Picani admitted.  
  
Renilda snickered.  _"A part?"_  
  
_"I did not say how small or large a part it played,"_  Professor Picani chuckled.  
  
_"May I hold her when you are finished with her, Virgil?"_  Logan wondered. Virgil nodded. He wasn't ready to relinquish Renata from his arms yet, but Logan could hold her when that time came.  
  
Virgil could only hope that they  _could_  keep Renata safe, given the world that she was brought into. Virgil could not speak to Renata, but he could still think of what he would like to tell her.  
  
_The world you were brought into...there's a lot that can be said for it. I'm sorry that we could not give you the perfect world that you deserve. I'm sure that you will see horrors in your lifetime that we cannot protect you from no matter how hard we try. Hatred, violence, war...those things will continue to exist. It's part of human nature. But you know what else is part of human nature, Ren? Love, and friendship, and sunshine and rainbows and all sorts of things. Those will continue to exist too. There may be ugliness in the world, but there's beauty too. And we're going to make sure you see as much of that beauty as you can,_ Virgil thought. He bent his head down, kissing Renata on the top of her head. Then, making sure that her neck was supported, Virgil gingerly handed her over to Logan, who let out a small gasp once he had the baby in his arms.

Professor Picani and Renilda made sure to get pictures of everyone holding Renata. Virgil didn't even notice as he was holding Renata, as she captured the majority of his attention at that point. Once Renata was handed back to Professor Picani and Renata, Virgil, Dee, and Logan made certain to get pictures of the happy parents with the baby as well.

It was a lovely scene, and Virgil almost wished that his other friends were present to see it unfold. That wouldn't be right, though - as close as Virgil was to his other friends, a larger number of people in the room would take away from the intimacy of it all. This was a family moment - and yes, Professor Picani and Logan were family too.  
  
_"Thank you for coming, you three,"_  Renilda told them as they bade their farewell. As much as the trio wanted to stay, they could not be away from the school for long.  _"It was great to see you all. You've all gotten so grown up, and you were so good with Renata! You've all come such a long way...I'm so proud of you all,"_  she smiled warmly.  
  
Virgil, Dee, and Logan could not help but smile in return.


	37. Chapter 37

As expected, their friends had questions when they returned to Hogwarts. Logan decided that it would be best to have a meeting. Virgil looked at Logan in surprise when the Ravenclaw suggested this. He wasn't against it by any means, but usually their meetings were called for something serious - a prophecy, for example, or a problem that they needed to solve.  
  
The birth of Virgil and Dee's little sister was neither of those things. That being said, it  _would_  cut down on the number of times Virgil and Dee would have to explain everything to their friends.  
  
Virgil and Dee were the last to arrive to the fourth floor classroom. Logan was chatting with Chelsea, Era, and Astrit regarding NEWTs. Roman and Patton were whispering and giggling about something in the corner.  
  
The usual, in other words. Virgil bit down on his lip to prevent the goofy smile that threatened to push it's way onto his face.  
  
 _"Oh good, you're here,"_  Logan observed once he saw Virgil and Dee. He gestured for Virgil to take a seat next to him. Dee sat on the other side of Virgil. Virgil waited for the inevitable questions - Where did they go, what was going on, etc.  
  
 _"So what is her name?"_  Patton spoke up first.   
  
Virgil's eyes widened. He'd prepared himself for a number of questions, but he did not expect  _that_  as a first question.  
  
Next to him, Dee let out a snort.  _"You already told them?"_  he asked Logan.  
  
Logan looked just as bewildered as Virgil and Dee. He turned to them and shook his head.  
  
Era started to laugh.  _"Really? We're not stupid."_  
  
 _"We noticed you two and Logan were missing first, then we saw that Professor Picani wasn't at dinner,"_  Astrit explained.  
  
 _"Professor Picani's absence kinda gave the whole mystery away,"_ Roman admitted.  
  
 _"The fact that Logan was gone too kinda threw us off for a second, but we figured he was invited along because he's pretty much family too at this point,"_  Chelsea grinned.  
  
 _"That is the second time that I have heard that uttered within the past 24 hours,"_  Logan noted.  
  
 _"Gee, I dunno why you would hear it so much...maybe because it's true?"_  Dee posited.  
  
 _"The fact that you of all people are saying that..."_  Roman commented with a snicker.  
  
 _"But seriously, you stayed under Renilda's roof for a while, you and Virgil have been together for three years now...course you're practically family at this point!"_  Chelsea arched a brow.  
  
 _"I feel that perhaps I should ask Professor Picani and Ms. Nyx their opinion on the matter first,"_  Logan insisted.  
  
Virgil let out a snort, shaking his head.  
  
 _"You never did answer Patton's question,"_  Astrit helpfully reminded them.   
  
 _"Renata Amelia Picani,"_  Dee announced.  
  
 _"Oooh, that's really pretty!"_  Patton beamed.

 _"Please tell me you got pictures,"_  Roman remarked.  
  
Virgil reached into his bag and pulled out a couple of pictures, as did Dee. Patton let out a squeal of delight as he looked through the pictures.  _"She's such a little cutie! And you guys look so good with her!"_  
  
Patton was only saying that to make Virgil feel better, Virgil suspected. He was so nervous about holding her at first that he couldn't imagine he looked very comfortable in the pictures that his mother and Professor Picani took. He certainly didn't in the one that  _he_  had in his bag at any rate.  
  
Then he peeked at the one that Dee placed on the table.  _That_ one...actually didn't look that bad? It showed Virgil smiling warmly down at Renata. Logan was in the picture as well, watching Virgil and Renata with a fond smile.  
  
 _"That's probably the most casual I've ever seen Logan,"_  Era commented wryly.  
  
 _"Yes, well...it was...truly a sight to behold,"_  Logan smoothed out his tie, clearing his throat. Virgil snickered.  
  
 _You should smile in pictures more often. You look great,_  Virgil wrote, passing the note to Logan. Logan glanced down at the note, his cheeks turning a faint shade of red.  
  
 _"Yes, well,"_  Logan repeated, this time in a whisper. He could not prevent the corners of his mouth from twitching upward no matter how hard he tried.  
  
 _"Your mother and Professor Picani look great as well,"_  Astrit observed.  
  
 _"Do they have any plans to tie the knot?"_  Roman wondered.  
  
Virgil looked to Dee to answer this question, as they both knew the answer and Dee would have a much easier time explaining it. Dee nodded, understanding what Virgil was doing.  _"Not yet, but they informed us we'd be the first to know if they did, so it's obviously not completely off of the table."_  
  
Would that change now that Renata was around? Virgil supposed that only time would tell.  
  
 _"I hope we get to meet her soon,"_  Patton smiled.  
  
 _This summer, if not sooner,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
 _"If nothing else, they are most certainly invited to our wedding,"_ Roman pointed out.  
  
 _"Oooh yeah, they have to come to that! But in the meantime, you guys are going to the Quidditch Championship game in a couple of days, aren't you?"_  Patton asked.  
  
Virgil nearly  _forgot_  said game, as he didn't often pay attention to Quidditch, but he hastily nodded once he recognized the significance of Patton's question.  
  
 _Wouldn't miss it,_  he wrote. Chewing on his bottom lip in contemplation for a moment, he decided to amend his prior statement.  _But can we sit up closer to the field this time? Don't like heights._  
  
Roman let out a gasp.  _"Shit, I totally forgot last game! Why didn't you say anything when I was insisting we get seats at the top?"_  
  
Virgil shrugged. He didn't really want to make waves when everyone else was comfortable and enjoying themselves, and he had been able to  _manage_ , so it didn't really seem pertinent.  
  
 _"Well it's better for us to sit up front anyway with what Roman and I have planned. Meet me again in this classroom after dinner!"_  Patton grinned. Roman smiled and threw an arm over Patton's shoulder. Whatever it was, it had Patton and Roman excited at the very least...


	38. Chapter 38

When Virgil, Logan, and Dee turned up to the abandoned classroom on the fourth floor after dinner, they were astonished to find that several desks in the classroom either had blank posterboard atop them, or art supplies. Virgil gaped at the display. Patton and Roman really went all out!  
  
Era, Chelsea, and Astrit turned up a little while after. The room garnered similar reactions from them.   
  
_"Now that everyone is present, I believe that it is safe to assume that we will be decorating posters tonight?"_  Logan asked.  
  
_"Nope and yup!"_  Patton replied.  
  
_"...pardon?"_  Logan frowned in confusion.  
  
_"Nope, not everyone's here, but yup, we'll be working on posters!"_ Patton explained.  
  
_"Not everyone is here? Who are we missing?"_  Astrit raised an eyebrow.  
  
_"I bet I know who they we're waiting on,"_  Chelsea grinned. She leaned in to whisper something in Era's ear, and Era grinned and nodded.  
  
There was a knock on the door and Patton went to answer it.  
  
In stepped Toby and Seth alongside a second year girl in Ravenclaw robes that Virgil had only seen once before.  
  
_"Oh I was SO right,"_  Chelsea announced, pumping her first.  
  
_"You were two thirds correct,"_  Era amended with a small smirk.  _"You guessed that it would be Seth and Toby. You didn't mention anything about Patton's younger sister!"_  
  
_"I know you probably know of her, but I don't think most of you have met her yet. This is Junie! She's a second year and she wanted to come help out as well!"_  Patton beamed.  
  
_"Hi,"_  Junie added quietly, holding up her hand to wave at her oldest brother's friends.  
  
The rest of the group, aside from Patton, Toby, and Seth took turns introducing themselves to Junie in return. Once introductions were out of the way, the group set to work on posters.  
  
Most of the posters were either black or yellow; Hufflepuff's colors, of course. There weren't enough posters for every person to have their own poster to work on, so people quickly split off into smaller groups to work on the posters in teams.

There were a couple of Gryffindor posters among the group too of course, which stood to reason. They all wanted to support August, but Roman, Astrit, and Era all had good reason to support Gryffindor. Astrit was  _playing_  for Gryffindor, after all. Virgil just hoped that August would get a fair chance this time around, whether Hufflepuff won or lost the game.  
  
Virgil, Dee, and Toby worked together on a poster reading 'Slytherins For Hufflepuff', adding bits of green and silver to the yellow and black motif that they were going for with most of these posters.  
  
_"Well I think that came out well!"_  Toby stated once they were nearly finished with their poster, placing the lid on a black marker.  
  
_"Oh I don't know, I think I preferred the hats from last game,"_  Dee observed.  
  
_"Really?"_  Toby looked skeptical.  _"I mean I get where Patton was coming from but they were a bit...much?"_  
  
_He's being sarcastic,_  Virgil scribbled to Toby with a snicker.   
  
Toby read the note and let out a snort.  _"Okay good, because I was seriously beginning to wonder."_  Virgil shook his head and was just about to put the finishing touches on his corner of the poster...  
  
He jumped at a sudden bang that erupted from the other side of the room, catching himself on the side of the desk just in time to keep himself from falling. He wasn't the only one either - Chelsea actually let out a loud yell and  _fell out of her chair_  in surprise.  
  
_"Graceful,"_  Era could not help but snicker as she extended a hand to help her girlfriend up.  
  
_"Thanks, I do try,"_  Chelsea retorted with a mock bow.  
  
It didn't take long to discover that the source of the noise was Roman, whose face, hair, and clothes were currently coated in red glitter.  
  
_"...I'm not certain that I even want to know,"_  Logan said with an exasperated sigh, squeezing the bridge of his nose. But as Logan ducked his head Virgil could see that even  _he_  was trying not to laugh at this ridiculous display.  
  
And Roman  _did_  look ridiculous, even if he wore it surprisingly well.  
  
_"I was attempting to recreate the mini fireworks that I used on the posters for Elliott, Paige, and Shane last year,"_  Roman explained.  
  
_"Didn't go the way you expected?"_  Astrit noted with a bemused expression.  
  
_"Nope,"_  Roman chuckled.  _"But I bet I look as handsome as ever. Maybe this will even be the latest fashion trend at Hogwarts. I have always regarded myself as a trendsetter..."_  
  
_Keep your day job, Princey,_  Virgil wrote, tossing the note to Roman who read it and huffed.  
  
_"'Keep your day job Princey'. Just for that I think I may consider a career as a beauty guru!"_  Roman grinned.  
  
_"With that look? You'll turn all sorts of heads,"_  Era snickered.  
  
_"I've heard of glitter bombs but this is something else entirely,"_ Seth laughed.  
  
Even Junie, who'd remained fairly silent aside from the occasional comment to her older brothers, was giggling at the sight of Roman.  
  
  
_"Huh, that gives me an idea..."_  Roman scratched his chin, looking down at the poster in front of him.  
  
Virgil made a mental note to sit several seats away from wherever Roman decided to sit at the Quidditch game in the event that Roman's hard work blew up in his face once more.   
  
Bright red and sparkly wasn't really Virgil's aesthetic.  
  
_"I'll get the umbrella ready,"_  Dee responded sarcastically.  _"I have a feeling we're going to see more rain today."_  
  
Surprisingly, there weren't many other mishaps. Once everyone finished with their posters, the whole group got together for one last project. In Virgil's opinion, this project was their best work, and he looked forward to seeing it unveiled the next day.  
  
By the time their group went their separate ways for the night, everyone was looking forward to the game the next day (even those who usually didn't, like Dee and Virgil).

For better or worse, this would be a game to remember.


	39. Chapter 39

The group set out extra early for the game in the hopes that they would be able to get good seats. This endeavor was well worth it, as they were able to score seats in the front row of the stands near the border between the Hufflepuff section and the Ravenclaw section. Seth, Toby, and Junie joined them once more, having been invited to do so by Patton and Roman.  
  
Virgil was fairly certain that the matching badgers on Patton, Seth, Toby, and Junie's faces were Roman's handiwork, given that they were in a similar style to the lion that Roman sported on his own cheek.   
  
_"We're technically still in the Hufflepuff section, do you have some sort of death wish?"_  Era asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
_"What? Just because I want to show support to August doesn't mean I don't still support Gryffindor! Don't you? Your brother is playing!"_  Roman replied.  
  
_"Yeah but she's not the one who painted a large lion on her cheek and then sat in the section the opposite team usually sits in,"_  Chelsea reasoned.   
  
Soon the stands began to fill with other students and staff. Roman wasn't given too much grief for his face, if only because he was sitting in the front row and rarely turned around for long enough for anyone in the stands to even  _notice_ what he had on his face.  
  
The group began to unravel their posters shortly before the game was due to begin. Virgil and Dee decided that Toby could do the honors of holding up the Slytherin poster that they created together.   
  
Logan and Chelsea, it turned out, made a similar poster for Ravenclaw in support of Hufflepuff.  
  
Roman had a Gryffindor poster as Virgil expected. Said poster was bright, colorful,  _and_  shiny - either Roman found more glitter after he managed to get it all over himself or reused some of the glitter that exploded all over him.  
  
Virgil was  _glad_  that he sat a few seats away from Roman once he saw what Roman did with his poster. He managed to perfect the firework charm once more, but...he  _clearly_  took the glitter bomb idea to heart. Every time a charmed firework went off, glitter would rain down where the 'firework' went off.  
  
Junie and Patton were getting a kick out of it at the very least. Seth, in the meantime, unraveled the most important poster of the bunch - the one they all worked on  _together_. Said poster was large enough that it needed more than one person to hold it. Virgil opted to hold one end while Seth held the other. Virgil couldn't exactly chant or cheer in support, so he'd do the next best thing  
  
Patton already informed August that they would probably be near the front row in the Hufflepuff stands, which meant that they would hopefully be one of the first things August saw when he hit the Quidditch pitch.

Virgil watched as the players began to walk onto the field. The Gryffindor players walked onto the field first. Era cheered extra loud when Astrit walked out and waved to him. Astrit glanced up as he walked by, smiling and waving in return.  
  
Then it was the Hufflepuff team's turn to walk out.   
  
Virgil and his friends cheered as all of the Hufflepuff players made their way onto the field (even the Captain), but it was nothing compared to the ruckus the group created once August walked onto the field. He was using his crutches, but one of his friends was walking beside him carrying his broom. August glanced up at the stands and  _beamed_  when he saw the sign they all worked on together.  
  
_We Support You, August!_  It read in large letters, twice the size of any of the other posters that they made. They all waved to him, and though August couldn't wave in return, the fact that he was grinning from ear to ear said enough.  
  
The game started. Virgil had a hard time following it, but he understood when each team would score at the very least. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor stayed pretty close throughout the entire game. Virgil gained a good understanding for why they called this sort of game a  _nail biter_.  
  
Virgil didn't know if Junie had just grown more comfortable with them or if she just  _really_  got into Quidditch, but the girl who'd been quiet and soft-spoken every other time he saw her suddenly grew loud any boisterous. Every time Hufflepuff would score she would cheer loudly, and there were a couple of moments when the referee would call fouls on Hufflepuff that she didn't agree with and she would start yelling in fury.  
  
_"Yeah, she's always been like this when it comes to Quidditch,"_ Patton said, smiling fondly. Virgil noticed that for all of her vigor, Junie avoided swearing; he had a feeling that Patton would be singing a different tune if Junie cursed.  
  
(In fact, he wondered if Junie  _would_  be swearing were it not for the presence of her oldest brother...)

August flew wonderfully, just as in control of his broomstick as the other players if not moreso. He still wielded his bat with ease, and Virgil hoped that the Captain was kicking himself for missing out on this the last game. Perhaps they wouldn't have come close to losing to Ravenclaw had they played August in that game.

  
Virgil's eyes widened as he watched one of the Seekers headed for what was presumably the Snitch, the other soon following closely behind. Everyone watched with bated breath. It looked for  _certain_  like the Gryffindor Seeker was going to beat the Hufflepuff Seeker, for no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't seem to catch up with the Gryffindor Seeker.   
  
Then a bludger came sailing in the direction of the Gryffindor Seeker. The Gryffindor Seeker had plenty of time to dodge the bludger, and she did so - but at the cost of her lead on the Snitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker reached forward, grasping the Snitch in their hand as the stands erupted into a mighty roar.  
  
Hufflepuff won the Quidditch Cup.   
  
And judging from the way that his teammates were mobbing  _him_  as much as they mobbed the Seeker, August was responsible for the bludger that diverted the Gryffindor Seeker and enabled the Hufflepuff Seeker to catch the snitch.

 _"See, what did I tell them?! Let my baby brother play and you won't regret it!"_  Patton shouted before letting out a loud cheer for his brother.

August's teammates passed the Quidditch Cup to him after the Seeker had it. A couple of his teammates stood on either side of the third year and steadied August so that he could balance without his crutches. Then, he hoisted the Quidditch Cup into the air and let out a whoop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So tomorrow's chapter will probably be the last one in this installment, but I plan on getting started on Sunday's chapter (the first chapter of part 10) later today, so you'll have that to look forward to!


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for some pretty gruesome imagery mentioned in dialogue in this.

Between Renata's birth and August's success during the Quidditch Championship game, there was a lot to celebrate. August was carried off the pitch by several students in his year, many of them singing 'For He's A Jolly Good Fellow'. Seth quickly joined in with them, and even Toby reluctantly trailed along.  
  
Junie stuck behind, however. Apparently once the game was over she slipped back into her mild temperament once more.  
  
Virgil knew that this wouldn't fix  _everything_  for August. He would still undoubtedly face hardships and discrimination - but now he'd proven to his naysayers that he didn't  _have_  to listen to them, that he could still strive for what he wanted to do regardless of their doubts.  
  
As wonderful as it was to celebrate all of this, it felt a tad bittersweet for Virgil and most of his friends. The year was quickly drawing to a close; their  _last_  year at Hogwarts.

The weeks seemed to fly by.  
  
Virgil felt iffy when it came to some of his NEWTs, but he was fairly confident that he'd passed his Defense Against the Dark Arts NEWT at the very least.  
  
_"Passed? You got another O again, don't sell yourself short,"_  Roman said with a snort.

 _"We won't know what grades we earned for certain until we receive our letters in the post in a few weeks,"_  Logan reminded him.  
  
Roman rolled his eyes.  _"I'm trying to cheer your boyfriend up. Don't be such a spoilsport."_  
  
_As long as I can get a job after Hogwarts,_  Virgil wrote.  
  
_"Oh wow, same,"_  Chelsea held out a hand for Virgil to give her a high five, which he proceeded to do.  
  
_"We're about to enter a new chapter of our lives! Are you guys ready?"_  Patton said with an eager grin.  
  
Virgil...honestly didn't know how to answer that, but he supposed he didn't have much choice in the matter. Time was going to keep rolling forward whether he wanted it to or not.  
  
\-----------------  
  
_"I mean really, could this area_  be  _in any more disrepair? I get that they don't want Mudbloods snooping around, but this is a bit much."_  
  
Delilah scrunched up her nose. She'd dressed nice to make a good impression, but now she was beginning to think that she needn't have bothered. She had to check the paper in her hand to make sure that she had the right address. A dilapidated shack stood in front of her.   
  
_"Well I suppose there's nothing more to it,"_  Delilah muttered, slowly approaching the door. She questioned whether she was doing the right thing...but nothing  _else_  worked so far, and Delilah was no quitter. She knocked on the door a few times, listening for a response.  
  
_"Comiiiiiiing!"_  The response came in a sing song voice, and Delilah only had to wait a moment or so before the denizen of the shack pulled open the door and invited her inside.  
  
She had to admit that, like many wizarding dwellings (and items in general), the shack was much more roomy on the inside. It was roomy and well decorated, but it didn't look as though the place had been cleaned in months if not years.  
  
_"So..."_  Delilah began, unsure where to go from there.  
  
_"You know, I'm surprised you came to me of all people. Most don't even know that I exist, let alone that I live here! You really did your homework! Bravo, bravo!"_  The denizen of the shack clapped.  
  
_"Yes, well, I figured you might want to hear some news,"_  Delilah remarked tentatively. How he reacted would gauge what she said and/or did next.

 _"News?"_  the young man tilted his head.  _"The Ministry collapsed in a blaze of glory? A mysterious ailment tore through the Mudblood population and they all bled out in the streets as a result of horribly explosive diarrhea?"_  
  
Delilah stared at the man as if he had two heads.  _"Heavens no!"_  
  
_"Oh,"_  the man sighed, leaning back in his chair. He looked  _genuinely_  put out, waving his hand in a gesture for her to leave.  _"Then I don't want to hear it. Getting my hopes up like that..."_  
  
Delilah was pale by this point. She suddenly had a better understanding of why the man in front of her was sent away by his parents to be raised by one of the most powerful dark wizards in The Council.   
  
She hadn't come all this way to be disappointed, however.  _"Your brother is getting married this summer."_  
  
The man ceased his incessant rambling to look at Delilah more closely.  _"He is?"_  
  
Delilah nodded. She kept her face serious, but inside she was jumping for joy. She'd gotten his attention.  _"Yes, I thought someone ought to tell you. I didn't think that anyone else would."_  
  
_"Indeed,"_  the man frowned, then eyed her closely.  _"But why?"_  
  
Delilah was taken aback by this question. She thought it would be obvious.  _"You're his brother, you deserve to know-"_  
  
_"Poppycock,"_  the man arched an eyebrow.   
  
_"...pardon?"_  Delilah frowned.  
  
_"I said poppycock. Rubbish. Baloney. Codswallop. Pure, unadulterated_  bullshit _,"_  he replied.  
  
...huh.  
  
_"Now, do you want to tell me the truth about why you're telling me this or are we going to keep playing around? Cause I could play all day! I don't get to play very often, it gets awfully boring around here,"_  he pouted in a strangely childlike way, despite proving himself more than capable of being sinister earlier in the conversation.  
  
_"I think you could help me,"_  Delilah informed him.  
  
He burst into uncontrollable, high-pitched laughter. This tested Delilah's patience, but she tolerated it. She knew that she needed him. He would be her greatest weapon yet. It took a few minutes before he finally regained his composure, and even then a few titters managed to escape.  _"And whyever would I want to help you, sweetcheeks?"_  
  
Delilah bristled at being called sweetcheeks, but did her best not to show it.  _"You said it yourself. You don't get to play very often and it gets awfully boring around here. It won't be boring if you help me, I can guarantee that._  
  
_"Hmmm,"_  the young man made a show of stroking his chin. __"Nope, not convinced. Sorry!"__  he told her with a shrug and a grin that told her he wasn't sorry in the slightest.  
  
Delilah sighed, rising to her feet and headed for the door. __"That's too bad. I had all these thoughts on how we could ruin the wedding and leave Roman's life in utter shambles..suppose I'll have to do all of that by myself!"__  
  
_"...ruin...Roman's...wedding? You didn't say that much,"_  the man frowned. __  
  
_"You didn't ask,"_  Delilah retorted, the corners of her mouth curving up into a smirk. __  
  
_"Alright, my interest is piqued. Whatcha got planned?"_  the young man leaned in closer. __  
  
_"I figured I'd give you free reign. Let you work your magic,"_  Delilah winked. _"It'll be an absolute pleasure working with you, Remus."_  
  
_"Oh, you have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into, dearie,"_  Remus grinned. He was right - Delilah had no idea. Luckily for her, that was exactly what she was hoping for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so he appears... XD The next chapter posted will be the first chapter of the next installment! Hope to see you guys over there! Thank you so much for your readership! <3


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